[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 2, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 12628]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-06330]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Biodefense Summit: Implementing the National Biodefense Strategy: 
Notification of Public Meeting and Solicitation of Advice

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response 
(ASPR), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response 
(ASPR) in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is 
announcing a public meeting, Biodefense Summit: Implementing the 
National Biodefense Strategy (Strategy). Implementing the Strategy 
involves partners among multiple sectors, including medical; public, 
animal, and plant health; emergency response; scientific and technical; 
law enforcement; industrial; academic; diplomatic; defense and 
security; intelligence; and nonproliferation and counterproliferation 
stakeholders. This meeting is being held to introduce the Strategy to 
these groups and to solicit feedback from them. The meeting will be 
open to representatives from invited organizations and the public.

DATES: The meeting will be held on April 17, 2019, from 8:45 a.m. to 
5:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: National Academies of Sciences Building, 2101 Constitution 
Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20418.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: CAPT Theresa Lawrence, Ph.D.; 
Director, Division of Policy, Office of Strategy, Policy, Planning, and 
Requirements, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and 
Response, Office of the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human 
Services; Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. Federal Building; 200 C St SW, 
Washington, DC 20515; [email protected]; 202-401-5879

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Agenda: On April 17, 2019, ASPR will convene a meeting at the 
National Academies of Sciences Building, 2101 Constitution Ave. NW, 
Washington, DC 20418 from 8:45 a.m.-5:00 p.m. with non-federal 
stakeholders to discuss and solicit input on implementing the National 
Biodefense Strategy, pursuant to National Security Presidential 
Memorandum 14, signed September 18, 2018.
    The meeting will focus on a set of questions on the meeting agenda, 
posted at http://www.phe.gov/biodefense, on which the U.S. Government 
would specifically like to solicit comment. These questions concern 
matters such as the identification of gaps and opportunities for 
improvement in biodefense.
    The meeting will be conducted as a series of panels where 
participants will be asked to discuss particular topics of interest to 
the Government. Each panel will include ample time for in-depth 
discussion of the issues surrounding each topic.
    The meeting is open to the public and free of charge. Pre-
registration is encouraged, however, registration will be restricted 
due to limited space. Information about registering for the meeting is 
available at http://www.phe.gov/biodefense. Any groups or individuals 
who cannot attend the meeting are encouraged to submit written 
comments.
    Background: Biological threats are among the most serious threats 
facing the United States. In today's interconnected world, biological 
incidents have the potential to cost thousands of American lives, cause 
significant anxiety, and disrupt travel and trade. The Strategy sets 
the course for the United States to combat the serious biothreats our 
country faces, whether they arise from natural outbreaks of disease, 
accidents involving high consequence pathogens, or the actions of 
terrorists or state actors. Preparing for biothreats is a critical 
aspect of our national security, and the Strategy encompasses five 
goals for strengthening the biodefense enterprise including:
    1. Enabling risk awareness to inform decision-making across the 
biodefense enterprise;
    2. Ensuring biodefense enterprise capabilities to prevent 
bioincidents;
    3. Ensuring biodefense enterprise preparedness to reduce the 
impacts of bioincidents;
    4. Rapidly responding to limit the impacts of bioincidents; and
    5. Facilitating recovery to restore the community, the economy, and 
the environment after a bioincident.
    The National Biodefense Strategy calls for engagement and 
cooperation across all levels of government, to include state, local, 
tribal, and territorial governments, as well as internationally. It 
involves partnership with multiple sectors, including the medical; 
public, animal, and plant health; emergency response; scientific and 
technical; law enforcement; industrial; academic; diplomatic; defense 
and security; intelligence; and nonproliferation and 
counterproliferation sectors, among others. Engagement with non-
governmental organizations and the private sector is critical to 
prevent the spread of disease and respond to the next outbreak before 
it becomes an epidemic.
    Streaming Webcast of the Public Meeting: This public meeting will 
also be webcast. Information about registering for the webcast will be 
available at http://www.phe.gov/biodefense.
    Meeting Summary: Please be advised that a summary of the meeting 
will be accessible at http://www.phe.gov/biodefense as soon as it is 
available.
    Written Public Input is Encouraged: Even though space or time 
constraints may preclude some interested members of the public from 
attending, we understand that these issues are broadly of interest to 
the American people. Given the importance of the Nation's biodefense to 
every American, the public is encouraged to submit written comments on 
a set of questions on the meeting agenda posted at www.phe.gov/biodefense, on which the U.S. Government would specifically like to 
solicit comment. These questions concern such matters as the 
identification of gaps and opportunities for improvement in biodefense. 
Comments should be submitted to [email protected] or the address above by 
May 1, 2019.

    Dated: March 27, 2019.
Robert P. Kadlec,
Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.
[FR Doc. 2019-06330 Filed 4-1-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4150-37-P