Senate bill to strengthen emergency medical preparedness clears committee

Mar 15, 2022 - 02:59 PM
senate-legislation-update

The Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions committee today voted 20-2 to advance, as amended, the PREVENT Pandemics Act (S. 3799), bipartisan legislation to strengthen the nation’s public health and medical preparedness and response systems in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The bill builds on a discussion draft of the legislation and, among other issues, includes provisions that would establish a White House office to oversee pandemic preparedness and response; modernize and strengthen the medical supply chain; improve the safety and security and address foreign influence in biomedical research; bolster public health and allied health workforces; strengthen blood supply collaboration; reauthorize two grant programs to improve trauma care, including in rural areas; and update the ability of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director to appoint and review the agency’s leadership. 

AHA last month submitted comments on the discussion draft.
 

Related News Articles

Headline
House committee advances reauthorization of SUPPORT Act
The House Energy and Commerce Committee held a markup April 29 where it advanced the AHA-supported SUPPORT Act (H.R. 2483). The legislation would reauthorize…
Perspective
We Must Urge Congress to Protect Access to Medicaid, Patient Care and 24/7 Hospital Services
Public
Congressional lawmakers are heading home for a two-week district work period after both the Senate and House passed a revised budget resolution for fiscal year…
Headline
Senate passes revised budget resolution
Story Updated April 5 at 8:30 a.m. ETThe Senate by a vote of 51 to 48 passed its revised budget resolution for fiscal year 2025 with Sens. Rand…
Headline
AHA, others urge Congress to reauthorize and expand workforce program for foreign-born staff 
The AHA and dozens of other organizations yesterday urged House and Senate sponsors of the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act to…
Headline
AHA opposes legislation allowing physician self-referrals, POH expansion
The AHA March 27 voiced opposition to the Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act (H.R. 2191), a bill that would lift the ban on the establishment…
Headline
AHA discusses how Congress can improve support for post-acute care
The AHA March 11 shared ways Congress could better support patient access to post-acute care in comments for a hearing held by the House Committee on Ways and…