H.R. 3263House117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

DHS Medical Countermeasures Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 3:08 AM UTC

The DHS Medical Countermeasures Act amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to create a medical countermeasures program within the Department of Homeland Security. The program is meant to protect DHS employees and working animals from chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, explosives attacks, disease outbreaks, or pandemics, and to keep DHS missions running. It assigns oversight to the Department’s Chief Medical Officer and requires a stockpile and planning for rapid deployment of medicines such as antibiotics, antivirals, and radiological treatments.

Key Provisions

The Secretary must establish a DHS medical countermeasures program for employee and animal protection in CBRN events, disease outbreaks, or pandemics.
The Chief Medical Officer oversees the program, setting standards for storage, security, dispensing, maintaining a stockpile, prepositioning supplies, providing guidance, ensuring rapid deployment, training staff, and supporting exercises.
A medical countermeasures working group is created to coordinate standards and guidance across DHS components.
Within 120 days, the Chief Medical Officer must submit a logistics support plan covering how to determine needed types and quantities, a replenishment plan, and inventory tracking procedures.
Stockpile decisions must consider DHS risk assessments and CDC guidance on medical countermeasures.
The Secretary must report the logistics plan and implementation brief to the House and Senate Homeland Security committees within 180 days.
The term “medical countermeasures” is defined to include antibiotics, antivirals, radiological countermeasures, and other protective measures for DHS personnel and animals.

Legislative Activity

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15 earlier actions

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

July 21, 2021

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

May 17, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.

Homeland Security Committee

May 17, 2021

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight, Management, and Accountability.

Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability Subcommittee

May 18, 2021

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee on Oversight, Management, and Accountability Discharged.

Homeland Security Committee

May 18, 2021

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Homeland Security Committee

May 18, 2021

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported.

Homeland Security Committee

May 18, 2021

HouseCommittee

Reported by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 117-49.

Homeland Security Committee

June 1, 2021

HouseCalendars

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 32.

June 1, 2021

HouseFloor

Ms. Clarke (NY) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

July 20, 2021 • 2:04 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3706-3708; text: H3706-3707)

July 20, 2021 • 2:04 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3263.

July 20, 2021 • 2:04 PM

HouseFloor

At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

July 20, 2021 • 2:14 PM

HouseFloor

Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 535, proceedings on H.R. 3263 are considered vacated.

July 20, 2021 • 4:45 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: Pursuant to section 7 of H. Res. 535, and the motion offered by Mr. Hoyer, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 678; H.R. 1036; H.R. 1079, as amended; H.R. 1158; H.R. 1250; H.R. 1754; H.R. 1833, as amended; H.R. 1850; H.R. 1871; H.R. 1877, as amended; H.R. 1893; H.R. 1895; H.R. 2118; H.R. 2795, as amended; H.R. 2928; H.R. 2980, as amended; H.R. 3003; H.R. 3138, as amended; H.R. 3223; H.R. 3263; and H.R. 3264; and the following resolutions were agreed to under suspension of the rules: H. Res. 277; and H. Res. 294.(consideration: CR H3715-3730; text: CR H3728)

July 20, 2021 • 4:45 PM

HouseFloor

Pursuant to section 7 of H. Res. 535, and the motion offered by Mr. Hoyer, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 678; H.R. 1036; H.R. 1079, as amended; H.R. 1158; H.R. 1250; H.R. 1754; H.R. 1833, as amended; H.R. 1850; H.R. 1871; H.R. 1877, as amended; H.R. 1893; H.R. 1895; H.R. 2118; H.R. 2795, as amended; H.R. 2928; H.R. 2980, as amended; H.R. 3003; H.R. 3138, as amended; H.R. 3223; H.R. 3263; and H.R. 3264; and the following resolutions were agreed to under suspension of the rules: H. Res. 277; and H. Res. 294. (consideration: CR H3715-3730; text: CR H3728)

July 20, 2021 • 4:45 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

July 21, 2021

Floor Debate

9 members

What members said about H.R. 3263 on the floor

6 Republicans3 Democrats

Rep. Yvette D. ClarkeD-NY-9 · Jul 20, 2021

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3263) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish in the Department of Homeland Security a medical countermeasures…

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3263) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish in the Department of Homeland Security a medical countermeasures program, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3263, the DHS Medical Countermeasures Act.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3263 seeks to establish a medical countermeasures program to facilitate the readiness and protection of personnel and working animals in the event of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosives attack; disease outbreak; or pandemic.

H.R. 3263 requires DHS' chief medical officer, or CMO, to provide programmatic oversight of the medical countermeasures program and establish a medical countermeasures working group comprised of relevant DHS components.

Additionally, the bill requires the CMO to utilize DHS chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear risk assessments, and CDC guidance, to determine the types and quantities of medical countermeasures to stockpile.

H.R. 3263, first introduced in the 114th Congress, was developed due to concerns about the possibility of a severe pandemic that could cause illnesses and fatalities and destabilize the operations of DHS. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought these concerns to the forefront.

DHS is responsible for protecting our homeland, but the Department can only do that if it has a safe workforce. Many of the more than 240,000 employees are out on the front lines due to the nature of their responsibilities.

Furthermore, critical supply shortages of personal protective equipment earlier in the pandemic, which affected the Federal Government and State and local governments, also severely impacted DHS operations.

H.R. 3263 is informed by an August 2014 DHS inspector general report. It is also informed by testimony provided during multiple House Homeland Security Committee hearings.

Enactment of this bill will improve DHS' ability to protect the well- being of DHS personnel so they can fulfill their mission: protecting our homeland.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I am prepared to close after the gentleman from New York closes.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3263 is a measure that this country needs.

I believe all of us in this body can agree that protecting the health and safety of DHS personnel is critical to homeland security, and to that end, we must pass this bill.

Enactment of H.R. 3263 would strengthen medical countermeasure protocols within the Department and help DHS prepare for and respond to homeland threats.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 3263, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. Mariannette Miller-MeeksR-IA-2 · Jul 20, 2021

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bill, H.R. 3263, the DHS Medical Countermeasures Act. The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc all over the world, causing countless deaths, both from…

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bill, H.R. 3263, the DHS Medical Countermeasures Act.

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc all over the world, causing countless deaths, both from COVID and from unexpected causes unrelated to COVID, businesses shuttering, job loss, and our everyday way of life almost coming to a halt. While I am pleased that the United States is heading back to normalcy with three excellent and widely available vaccines, we cannot forget the great struggles that we encountered just last year.

Every day, countless Americans put their lives on the line for others, including the men and women in the Department of Homeland Security. Throughout the pandemic, the agencies and officers at CBP continued to protect our borders; TSA officers secured our transportation system; and representatives from FEMA, who took a lead role in the government's response to the pandemic, still had to deploy when disaster struck in other areas.

My bill, the DHS Medical Countermeasures Act, supports the DHS workforce and Department mission continuity by requiring the Secretary to establish a medical countermeasures program to protect employees and working animals in the event of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosives attack; naturally occurring disease outbreak; or pandemic.

This legislation requires the chief medical officer of the Department to maintain a stockpile of medical countermeasures and to develop Department-wide standards for storage, security, placement, dispensing, supply diversity, and documentation of countermeasures.

This bill requires the establishment of a medical countermeasures working group comprised of representatives from relevant Department components and offices to ensure medical countermeasure standards are maintained and guidance is consistent.

Finally, the bill requires the chief medical officer to develop an integrated logistics support plan for medical countermeasures that includes a methodology for determining types and quantities of countermeasures, inventory tracking, and a replenishment plan for existing stockpiles.

Mr. Speaker, as a doctor, former director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, and military veteran, I can assure you I know full well the necessity of medical countermeasures for treatment, diagnosis, and maintaining the safety of our community.

The Department of Homeland Security has over 240,000 employees tasked with jobs ranging from border and aviation security to emergency response and cybersecurity, with one common goal: keeping America safe. It is imperative that materials and processes are put in place to protect the safety and welfare of employees and to

ensure effective pandemic and disaster planning and response for mission continuity.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to join me in supporting this commonsense bill, H.R. 3263.

Rep. John KatkoR-NY-24 · Jul 20, 2021

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3263, the DHS Medical Countermeasures Act offered by my colleague and friend, Representative…

Rep. Bennie G. ThompsonD-MS-2 · Oct 25, 2021

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record the cost estimate prepared by the Congressional Budget Office for H.R. 3263, the DHS Medical Countermeasures Act. The cost estimate was not available at the…

Rep. Rick W. AllenR-GA-12 · Jul 20, 2021

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 212. members recorded pursuant to house resolution 8, 117th congress Aderholt (Moolenaar) Buchanan (LaHood) DeSaulnier…

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Rep. Steny H. HoyerD-MD-5 · Jul 20, 2021

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to section 7 of House Resolution 535, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bills: H.R. 678; H.R. 1036; H.R. 1079; H.R. 1158; H.R. 1250; H.R. 1754; H.R. 1833; H.R. 1850;

Rep. Pete StauberR-MN-8 · Jul 20, 2021

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 212.

Rep. Dan BishopR-NC-9 · Jul 20, 2021

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Rep. Matthew M. Rosendale, Sr.R-MT · Jul 20, 2021

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Bill Text

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Referred in SenateIssued July 21, 2021

IIB

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 3263

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 21, 2021

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

AN ACT

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish in the Department of Homeland Security a medical countermeasures program, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the DHS Medical Countermeasures Act.

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:

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.

Passed the House of Representatives July 20, 2021.

Cheryl L. Johnson,

Clerk