[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3656 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3656
To authorize a comprehensive, strategic approach for United States
foreign assistance to developing countries to strengthen global health
security, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 7, 2020
Mr. Murphy (for himself and Mr. Romney) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize a comprehensive, strategic approach for United States
foreign assistance to developing countries to strengthen global health
security, 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 ``Global Health Security Act of
2020''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) In December 2009, President Obama released the National
Strategy for Countering Biological Threats, which listed, as 1
of 7 objectives, ``Promote global health security: Increase the
availability of and access to knowledge and products of the
life sciences that can help reduce the impact from outbreaks of
infectious disease whether of natural, accidental, or
deliberate origin.''.
(2) In February 2014, the United States and nearly 30 other
nations launched the Global Health Security Agenda (referred to
in this section as ``GHSA'') to address several high-priority,
global infectious disease threats. The GHSA is a multi-faceted,
multi-country initiative intended to accelerate partner
countries' measurable capabilities to achieve specific targets
to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats,
whether naturally occurring, deliberate, or accidental.
(3) In 2015, the United Nations adopted the Sustainable
Development Goals, which specifically reference the importance
of global health security as part of Goal 3, ``ensure healthy
lives and promote well-being for all at all ages'', by
``strengthen[ing] the capacity of all countries, in particular
developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and
management of national and global health risks''.
(4) On November 4, 2016, President Obama signed Executive
Order 13747 (81 Fed. Reg. 78701; relating to Advancing the
Global Health Security Agenda to Achieve a World Safe and
Secure from Infectious Disease Threats).
(5) In October 2017, at the GHSA Ministerial Meeting in
Uganda, the United States and more than 40 GHSA member
countries supported the ``Kampala Declaration'' to extend the
GHSA for an additional 5 years to 2024.
(6) In December 2017, President Trump released the National
Security Strategy, which includes the priority action: ``DETECT
AND CONTAIN BIOTHREATS AT THEIR SOURCE: We will work with other
countries to detect and mitigate outbreaks early to prevent the
spread of disease. We will encourage other countries to invest
in basic health care systems and to strengthen global health
security across the intersection of human and animal health to
prevent infectious disease outbreaks.''.
(7) In September 2018, President Trump released the
National Biodefense Strategy, which includes the following
objectives:
(A) ``Strengthen global health security capacities
to prevent local bioincidents from becoming
epidemics.''.
(B) ``Strengthen international preparedness to
support international response and recovery
capabilities.''.
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States--
(1) promote global health security as a core national
security interest;
(2) advance the aims of the Global Health Security Agenda;
(3) collaborate with other countries to detect and mitigate
outbreaks early to prevent the spread of disease;
(4) encourage other countries to invest in basic resilient
and sustainable health care systems; and
(5) strengthen global health security across the
intersection of human and animal health--
(A) to prevent infectious disease outbreaks; and
(B) to combat the growing threat of antimicrobial
resistance.
SEC. 4. GLOBAL HEALTH SECURITY AGENDA INTERAGENCY REVIEW COUNCIL.
(a) Establishment.--The President shall establish a Global Health
Security Agenda Interagency Review Council (referred to in this section
as the ``Council'') to perform the general responsibilities described
in subsection (c) and the specific roles and responsibilities described
in subsection (e).
(b) Meetings.--The Council shall meet not less frequently than 4
times per year to advance its mission and fulfill its responsibilities.
(c) General Responsibilities.--The Council shall be responsible for
the following activities:
(1) Provide policy-level recommendations to participating
agencies on Global Health Security Agenda (referred to in this
section as ``GHSA'') goals, objectives, and implementation.
(2) Facilitate interagency, multi-sectoral engagement to
carry out GHSA implementation.
(3) Provide a forum for raising and working to resolve
interagency disagreements concerning the GHSA.
(4) Review the progress toward and work to resolve
challenges in achieving United States commitments under the
GHSA, including commitments to assist other countries in
achieving the GHSA targets.
(5) In carrying out the responsibilities under this
subsection, the Council shall consider, among other issues--
(A) the status of United States financial
commitments to the GHSA in the context of commitments
by other donors, and the contributions of partner
countries to achieve the GHSA targets;
(B) the progress toward the milestones outlined in
the GHSA national plans for those countries where the
United States Government has committed to assist in
implementing the GHSA and in annual work-plans
outlining agency priorities for implementing the GHSA;
and
(C) the external evaluations of United States and
partner country capabilities to address infectious
disease threats, including--
(i) the ability to achieve the targets
outlined within the World Health Organization's
Joint External Evaluation tool; and
(ii) gaps identified by such external
evaluations.
(d) Participation.--The Council shall consist of representatives,
serving at the Assistant Secretary level or higher, from the following
agencies:
(1) The Department of State.
(2) The Department of Defense.
(3) The Department of Justice.
(4) The Department of Agriculture.
(5) The Department of Health and Human Services.
(6) The Department of Labor.
(7) The Department of Homeland Security.
(8) The Office of Management and Budget.
(9) The United States Agency for International Development.
(10) The Environmental Protection Agency.
(11) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
(12) The Office of Science and Technology Policy.
(13) The National Institutes of Health.
(14) The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases.
(15) Such other agencies as the Council determines to be
appropriate.
(e) Specific Roles and Responsibilities.--
(1) In general.--The heads of agencies referred to in
subsection (d) shall--
(A) make the GHSA and its implementation a high
priority within their respective agencies and include
GHSA-related activities within their respective
agencies' strategic planning and budget processes;
(B) designate a senior-level official to be
responsible for the implementation of this Act;
(C) designate an appropriate representative at the
Assistant Secretary level or higher to participate on
the Council;
(D) keep the Council apprised of GHSA-related
activities undertaken within their respective agencies;
(E) maintain responsibility for agency-related
programmatic functions in coordination with host
governments, country teams, and GHSA in-country teams,
and in conjunction with other relevant agencies;
(F) coordinate with other agencies that are
identified in this section to satisfy programmatic
goals, and further facilitate coordination of country
teams, implementers, and donors in host countries; and
(G) coordinate across GHSA national plans and with
GHSA partners to which the United States is providing
assistance.
(2) Additional roles and responsibilities.--In addition to
the roles and responsibilities described in paragraph (1), the
heads of the departments and agencies described in subsection
(d) shall carry out their respective roles and responsibilities
described in subsections (b) through (i) of section 3 of
Executive Order 13747 (81 Fed. Reg. 78701; relating to
Advancing the Global Health Security Agenda to Achieve a World
Safe and Secure from Infectious Disease Threats), as in effect
on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 5. UNITED STATES COORDINATOR FOR GLOBAL HEALTH SECURITY.
(a) In General.--The President shall appoint an individual to the
position of United States Coordinator for Global Health Security
(referred to in this section as the ``Coordinator'').
(b) Responsibilities.--The Coordinator shall be responsible for
coordinating the interagency process for responding to global health
security emergencies, in coordination with the President's Special
Coordinator for International Disaster Assistance, as appropriate.
(c) Congressional Briefing.--Not less frequently than twice each
year, the Coordinator shall provide a briefing to the appropriate
congressional committees that describes how the Coordinator has been
carrying out his or her responsibilities and activities under this
section.
SEC. 6. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of the Congress, given the complex and
multisectoral nature of global health threats to the United States,
that the President--
(1) should consider appointing an individual with
significant background and expertise in public health or
emergency response management to the position of United States
Coordinator for Global Health Security, in accordance with
section 5(a), who is an employee of the National Security
Council at the level of Deputy Assistant to the President or
higher; and
(2) in providing assistance to implement the strategy
required under section 7(a), should--
(A) coordinate, through a whole-of-government
approach, the efforts of relevant Federal departments
and agencies to implement the strategy;
(B) seek to fully utilize the unique capabilities
of each relevant Federal department and agency while
collaborating with and leveraging the contributions of
other key stakeholders; and
(C) utilize open and streamlined solicitations to
allow for the participation of a wide range of
implementing partners through the most appropriate
procurement mechanisms, which may include grants,
contracts, cooperative agreements, and other
instruments to the extent necessary and appropriate.
SEC. 7. STRATEGY AND REPORTS.
(a) Strategy.--The United States Coordinator for Global Health
Security appointed pursuant to section 5(a) shall coordinate the
development and implementation of a strategy to implement the policy
described in section 3. This strategy shall--
(1) set specific and measurable goals, benchmarks,
timetables, performance metrics, and monitoring and evaluation
plans that reflect international best practices relating to
transparency, accountability, and global health security;
(2) support and be aligned with country-owned global health
security policy and investment plans developed with input from
key stakeholders, as appropriate;
(3) facilitate communication and collaboration, as
appropriate, among local stakeholders in support of a multi-
sectoral approach to global health security;
(4) support the long-term success of programs by building
the capacity of local organizations and institutions in target
countries and communities;
(5) develop community resilience to infectious disease
threats and emergencies;
(6) leverage resources and expertise through partnerships
with the private sector, health organizations, civil society,
nongovernmental organizations, and health research and academic
institutions; and
(7) support collaboration, as appropriate, between United
States universities, and public and private institutions in
target countries and communities to promote health security and
innovation.
(b) Coordination.--The President, acting through the United States
Coordinator for Global Health Security, shall coordinate, through a
whole-of-government approach, the efforts of relevant Federal
departments and agencies in the implementation of the strategy required
under subsection (a) by--
(1) establishing monitoring and evaluation systems,
coherence, and coordination across relevant Federal departments
and agencies; and
(2) establishing platforms for regular consultation and
collaboration with key stakeholders and the appropriate
congressional committees.
(c) Strategy Submission.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the President, in consultation with
the head of each relevant Federal department and agency, shall
submit to the appropriate congressional committees the strategy
required under subsection (a), which shall include a detailed
description of how the United States intends to advance the
policy set forth in section 3 and the agency-specific plans
described in paragraph (2).
(2) Agency-specific plans.--The strategy required under
subsection (a) shall include specific implementation plans from
each relevant Federal department and agency that describe--
(A) the anticipated contributions of the department
or agency, including technical, financial, and in-kind
contributions, to implement the strategy; and
(B) the efforts of the department or agency to
ensure that the activities and programs carried out
pursuant to the strategy are designed to achieve
maximum impact and long-term sustainability.
(d) Annual Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date on
which the strategy required under subsection (a) is submitted
to the appropriate congressional committees under subsection
(c), and not later than October 1 of each year thereafter, the
President shall submit a report to the appropriate
congressional committees that describes the status of the
implementation of the strategy.
(2) Contents.--The report required under paragraph (1)
shall--
(A) identify any substantial changes made in the
strategy during the preceding calendar year;
(B) describe the progress made in implementing the
strategy;
(C) identify the indicators used to establish
benchmarks and measure results over time, as well as
the mechanisms for reporting such results in an open
and transparent manner;
(D) contain a transparent, open, and detailed
accounting of expenditures by relevant Federal
departments and agencies to implement the strategy,
including, to the extent practicable, for each Federal
department and agency, the statutory source of
expenditures, amounts expended, partners, targeted
populations, and types of activities supported;
(E) describe how the strategy leverages other
United States global health and development assistance
programs;
(F) assess efforts to coordinate United States
global health security programs, activities, and
initiatives with key stakeholders;
(G) incorporate a plan for regularly reviewing and
updating strategies, partnerships, and programs and
sharing lessons learned with a wide range of
stakeholders, including key stakeholders, in an open,
transparent manner; and
(H) describe the progress achieved and any
challenges concerning the United States Government's
ability to advance the Global Health Security Agenda
across priority countries, including--
(i) data disaggregated by priority country
using indicators that are consistent on a year-
to-year basis; and
(ii) recommendations to resolve, mitigate,
or otherwise address the challenges identified
under this subparagraph.
(e) Form.--The strategy required under subsection (a) and the
report required under subsection (d) shall be submitted in unclassified
form but may contain a classified annex.
SEC. 8. COMPLIANCE WITH THE FOREIGN AID TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
ACT OF 2016.
Section 2(3) of the Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act
of 2016 (Public Law 114-191; 22 U.S.C. 2394c note) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(F) the Global Health Security Act of 2020.''.
SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate;
(B) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(C) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House
of Representatives; and
(D) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Global health security.--The term ``global health
security'' means activities supporting epidemic and pandemic
preparedness and capabilities at the country and global levels
in order to minimize vulnerability to acute public health
events that can endanger the health of populations across
geographical regions and international boundaries.
SEC. 10. SUNSET.
This Act (except for section 5) and the amendments made by this Act
shall cease to be effective on December 31, 2024.
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