H.R. 3263 – Reading Mode

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