[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4381 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4381

      To amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to the 
 determination, termination, and renewal of public health emergencies, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 27, 2023

Mr. Murphy (for himself and Mr. Guthrie) introduced the following bill; 
  which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in 
  addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
      To amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to the 
 determination, termination, and renewal of public health emergencies, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``PHE Congressional Review Act''.

SEC. 2. PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES.

    Subsection (a) of section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 247d) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(a) Emergencies.--
            ``(1) In general.--If the Secretary determines, after 
        consultation with such public health officials as may be 
        necessary, that--
                    ``(A) a disease or disorder presents a public 
                health emergency; or
                    ``(B) a public health emergency, including 
                significant outbreaks of infectious diseases or 
                bioterrorist attacks, otherwise exists,
        the Secretary may take such action as may be appropriate to 
        respond to the public health emergency, including making 
        grants, providing awards for expenses, and entering into 
        contracts and conducting and supporting investigations into the 
        cause, treatment, or prevention of a disease or disorder as 
        described in subparagraphs (A) and (B).
            ``(2) Congressional review of nationwide emergencies.--Not 
        later than 6 months after the date on which a determination of 
        a nationwide public health emergency is made, and every 6 
        months thereafter until the termination of such nationwide 
        public health emergency, each House of Congress shall meet to 
        consider a vote on a joint resolution to determine whether that 
        emergency shall be terminated.
            ``(3) Duration.--
                    ``(A) Termination.--Any determination of a public 
                health emergency under paragraph (1) terminates upon 
                the earlier of--
                            ``(i) the Secretary declaring that the 
                        emergency no longer exists;
                            ``(ii) the expiration of the 90-day period 
                        beginning on the date on which the 
                        determination is made by the Secretary; or
                            ``(iii) upon the enactment of a joint 
                        resolution to terminate the emergency.
                    ``(B) Renewal.--Determinations that terminate under 
                clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (A) may be renewed 
                by the Secretary (on the basis of the same or 
                additional facts), and subparagraph (A) applies to each 
                such renewal.
                    ``(C) Notification to congress of renewal.--Not 
                later than 48 hours after making a determination under 
                this subsection of a public health emergency (including 
                a renewal), the Secretary shall submit to the Congress 
                written notification of the determination.''.
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