[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3263 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
Union Calendar No. 32
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3263
[Report No. 117-49]
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish in the
Department of Homeland Security a medical countermeasures program, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 17, 2021
Mrs. Miller-Meeks (for herself, Mr. Van Drew, and Mr. Gimenez)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Homeland Security
June 1, 2021
Additional sponsor: Mr. Guest
June 1, 2021
Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union
and ordered to be printed
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish in the
Department of Homeland Security a medical countermeasures program, 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 ``DHS Medical Countermeasures Act''.
SEC. 2. MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Subtitle C of title XIX of the Homeland Security
Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 311 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
``SEC. 1932. MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a medical
countermeasures program to facilitate personnel readiness, and
protection for the Department's employees and working animals in the
event of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosives
attack, naturally occurring disease outbreak, or pandemic, and to
support Department mission continuity.
``(b) Oversight.--The Chief Medical Officer of the Department shall
provide programmatic oversight of the medical countermeasures program
established pursuant to subsection (a), and shall--
``(1) develop Department-wide standards for medical
countermeasure storage, security, dispensing, and
documentation;
``(2) maintain a stockpile of medical countermeasures,
including antibiotics, antivirals, and radiological
countermeasures, as appropriate;
``(3) preposition appropriate medical countermeasures in
strategic locations nationwide, based on threat and employee
density, in accordance with applicable Federal statutes and
regulations;
``(4) provide oversight and guidance regarding the
dispensing of stockpiled medical countermeasures;
``(5) ensure rapid deployment and dispensing of medical
countermeasures in a chemical, biological, radiological,
nuclear, or explosives attack, naturally occurring disease
outbreak, or pandemic;
``(6) provide training to Department employees on medical
countermeasure dispensing; and
``(7) support dispensing exercises.
``(c) Medical Countermeasures Working Group.--The Chief Medical
Officer shall establish a medical countermeasures working group
comprised of representatives from appropriate components and offices of
the Department to ensure that medical countermeasures standards are
maintained and guidance is consistent.
``(d) Medical Countermeasures Management.--Not later than 120 days
after the date of the enactment of this section, the Chief Medical
Officer shall develop and submit to the Secretary an integrated
logistics support plan for medical countermeasures, including--
``(1) a methodology for determining the ideal types and
quantities of medical countermeasures to stockpile and how
frequently such methodology shall be reevaluated;
``(2) a replenishment plan; and
``(3) inventory tracking, reporting, and reconciliation
procedures for existing stockpiles and new medical
countermeasure purchases.
``(e) Stockpile Elements.--In determining the types and quantities
of medical countermeasures to stockpile under subsection (d), the Chief
Medical Officer shall utilize, if available--
``(1) Department chemical, biological, radiological, and
nuclear risk assessments; and
``(2) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance
on medical countermeasures.
``(f) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee
on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee
on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate the plan
developed in accordance with subsection (d) and brief such Committees
regarding implementing the requirements of this section.
``(g) Definition.--In this section, the term `medical
countermeasures' means antibiotics, antivirals, radiological
countermeasures, and other countermeasures that may be deployed to
protect the Department's employees and working animals in the event of
a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosives attack,
naturally occurring disease outbreak, or pandemic.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of
the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by adding after the item
relating to section 1931 the following new item:
``Sec. 1932. Medical countermeasures.''.
Union Calendar No. 32
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3263
[Report No. 117-49]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish in the
Department of Homeland Security a medical countermeasures program, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
June 1, 2021
Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union
and ordered to be printed