[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2707 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2707
To develop a modernized strategy for ensuring the defense of the United
States from the anthrax threat, and for other purposes.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 8, 2025
Mr. Davis of North Carolina (for himself and Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To develop a modernized strategy for ensuring the defense of the United
States from the anthrax threat, 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 ``Protecting American Families and
Servicemembers from Anthrax Act''.
SEC. 2. DEVELOPING A MODERNIZED STRATEGY FOR ENSURING THE DEFENSE OF
THE UNITED STATES FROM THE ANTHRAX THREAT.
(a) Modernized Strategy.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the covered Secretaries shall develop a
modernized 10-year strategy for ensuring sustained stockpiling
of anthrax countermeasures, including the replenishment,
consistent with requirement levels, of such anthrax
countermeasures stockpiled--
(A) in the Strategic National Stockpile under
section 319F-2(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 247d-6b(a)); or
(B) by the Secretary of Defense, including such
anthrax countermeasures stockpiled in protection and
treatment of civilians, servicemembers, and dependents
on military installations.
(2) Cooperation and sustainability.--The strategy described
in paragraph (1) shall ensure innovative cooperation with, and
sustainability of, manufacturers of anthrax countermeasures.
(b) Reporting.--
(1) Initial report.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of this Act, the covered Secretaries shall submit
to the appropriate congressional committees a report on--
(A) the threat, to the people and military
installations of the United States, of weaponized
anthrax from foreign countries, foreign terrorist
organizations (as designated by the Secretary of State
in accordance with section 219(a) of the Immigration
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189(a))), and other
threat streams;
(B) programs and activities of the Federal
Government (other than programs and activities under
the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasure
Enterprise, such as multi-year budgets, research and
development investments, and countermeasure
procurements) that address the modernized strategy
under subsection (a)(1), including such programs and
activities that address multidrug-resistant strains;
and
(C) initiatives of the Federal Government to ensure
adequate availability of anthrax countermeasures for
treatment of military dependents on United States
military installations in foreign countries.
(2) Inclusion of modernized strategy.--The report under
paragraph (1) shall include the modernized strategy under
subsection (a)(1).
(3) Annual updates.--Following the submission of the report
under paragraph (1), the covered Secretaries shall, on an
annual basis, submit to the appropriate congressional
committees an update to such report.
(4) Form.--The report under paragraph (1) and the updates
under paragraph (3) shall be submitted in classified form but
may include an unclassified annex.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Anthrax countermeasure.--The term ``anthrax
countermeasure''--
(A) means a drug, device, or biological product
intended to counter the effects of anthrax that is
approved, cleared, classified, licensed, or otherwise
authorized by the Food and Drug Administration; and
(B) includes an antitoxin and a prophylactic.
(2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives;
(B) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(C) the Committee on Armed Services of the House of
Representatives;
(D) the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate;
(E) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the
House of Representatives; and
(F) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions of the Senate.
(3) Covered secretaries.--The term ``covered Secretaries''
means the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting
through the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response,
and the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological
Defense Programs, acting jointly, in consultation with the
members of the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures
Enterprise established under section 2811-1 of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300hh-10a).
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