Leaders of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee today released for comment until Feb. 4 a discussion draft of bipartisan legislation to strengthen the nation’s public health and medical preparedness and response systems in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a committee summary, the PREVENT Pandemics Act would:

  • create a bipartisan task force to review the COVID-19 response; 
  • require a strategic plan for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Senate to confirm the agency’s director; 
  • give the Secretary of Health and Human Services additional authority to coordinate the federal response to a public health emergency, and contract with public and private entities to more rapidly develop diagnostic tests for emerging infectious diseases; 
  • direct the CDC director to disseminate standards to improve the exchange of public health data and reporting; 
  • establish a “warm-base” domestic manufacturing surge capacity for medical countermeasures; 
  • require the HHS secretary to report regularly on the contents of the Strategic National Stockpile and ensure items are in working condition; 
  • award funds to recruit and train community health workers; 
  • require HHS to report to Congress on ways to improve access to mental health and substance use disorder services during an emergency; 
  • create an “advanced platform technology” designation to speed development and review of new treatments and countermeasures; 
  • require makers of certain critical medical devices to maintain a redundancy risk management plan; and
  • create a pilot program to develop novel manufacturing approaches for critical drugs, among other provisions. 

The committee will accept feedback on the discussion draft by email at HELPPandemicbill@help.senate.gov.  
 

Related News Articles

Headline
AHA Nov. 27 applauded the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals Act (H.R. 6430), legislation that would extend for five additional years the Medicare-…
Headline
The Senate Nov. 15 voted 87-11 to pass a continuing resolution (H.R.6363) funding the federal government through early 2024, avoiding a government…
Headline
The House Nov. 14 voted 336-95 to pass a continuing resolution (H.R.6363) that funds the federal government through early 2024. Four appropriations bills…
Headline
In a 26-0 vote, the Senate Finance Committee Nov. 8 reported the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act, bipartisan legislation that…
Headline
A new infographic by AHA explains how the Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Expansion Act’s (S. 2840) proposal to eliminate facility fees for…
Headline
In a statement submitted to the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee for a hearing Oct. 19 on legislative proposals to increase access to…