,i  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #ffaj  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,april #bc1 #bjbj,mr4
 ,rose of ,new ,york 7for himself1 ,ms4 
,scanlon1 ,ms4 ,norton1 and ,ms4        
,jackson ,lee7 introduced the following 
bill2 which was referred to the         
,committee on ,energy and ,commerce1 and
 in addition to the ,committees on      
,transportation and ,infrastructure1    
,armed ,services1 ,foreign ,affairs1 and
 ,intelligence 7,permanent ,select71 for
 a period to be subsequently determined 
by the ,speaker1 in each case for       
consideration of such provisions as fall
 within the jurisdiction of the         
committee concerned  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
establish the ,cabinet-level position of
 ,director of ,pandemic and ,biodefense 
,preparedness and ,response in the      
executive branch with the responsibility
 of developing a ,national ,pandemic and
 ,biodefense ,preparedness and ,response
 ,strategy1 to prepare for and          
coordinate the response to future       

pandemics1 biological attacks1 and other
 major health crises1 including         
coordinating the work of multiple       
government agencies1 and for other      
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,director of        
,pandemic and ,biodefense ,preparedness 
and ,response ,act4  #b4 ,findings2     
sense of ,congress  7a7 ,findings ,the  
,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the
 ,united ,states could have1 and should 
have1 been significantly more prepared  
to combat the ,,covid-#ai pandemic4     
7#b7 ,examples of this are numerous but 
include the loss of stockpiled          
ventilators to breakage because the     
,federal ,government let maintenance    
contracts lapse in #bjah1 the reuse of  
personal protective equipment that is   
only sanitary for single-patient use due
 to shortages1 and the scarcity of      
available testing compared to other     
nations4  7#c7 ,the loss of life and    
harm to the national economy is already 
staggering yet its extent will not be   

known for some time4  7#d7 ,as in       
previous pandemics and other major      
health crises1 confusion during the     
,,covid-#ai pandemic about which agency 
was in charge of what and who would     
coordinate the response of multiple     
agencies lead to calls for a czar to be 
named1 as well as a task force to be    
created4  7#e7 ,the ,federal ,government
 currently supports pandemic and        
biodefense preparedness and response in 
several ways through a myriad of        
agencies1 each responsible for disparate
 programs and responsibilities related  
to pandemics1 biological attacks1 and   
other major health crises4  7#f7        
,following the attack on our homeland on
 ,september #aa1 #bjja1 the ,director of
 ,national ,intelligence position was   
created to ensure the cooperation of    
several agencies in the ,intelligence   
,community through one ,cabinet-level   
official coordinating between and among 
multiple ,federal agencies charged with 
breaking down silos while keeping the   

,nation safe4  7#g7 ,preparing the      
,united ,states for and responding to a 
future pandemic1 biological attack1 or  
other major health crisis should be a   
top priority across agencies of the     
,federal ,government1 yet the           
,,covid-#ai pandemic exposed the need   
for greater cohesion and speed in both  
preparedness and response4  7#h7        
,various ,federal agencies report on    
recommendations for preparation and     
response to pandemics1 biological       
attacks1 and other major health crises1 
but no one ,federal official can produce
 and speak with authority on a national 
pandemic and biodefense preparedness and
 response strategy or execute such a    
strategy4  7#i7 ,a key element for      
success during response activities will 
be staying ahead of the emergency--in   
other words1 being more proactive than  
reactive4 ,this will require elements   
including-- 7,a7 timely1 accurate       
assessments of newly emerged risks and  
vulnerabilities2  7,b7 a streamlined1   

unified effort to lead all ,federal     
,government efforts1 coordinate ,state  
and local government activities1 and    
provide clear guidance to assets in the 
private sector2  7,c7 a coordinated     
national communications program to      
inform1 educate1 and gain the trust and 
support of the ,american public2 and    
7,d7 a national leader with the         
authority1 responsibility1 and          
accountability to ensure the most       
effective coordination of ,federal      
agencies and best use of national       
assets4  7b7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is 
the sense of ,congress that the creation
 of the ,cabinet-level position of the  
,director of ,pandemic and ,biodefense  
,preparedness and ,response and a       
well-designed ,national ,pandemic and   
,biodefense ,preparedness and ,response 
,strategy would benefit the ,united     
,states in several important ways1      
including by ending silos between and   
among various ,federal agencies charged 
with parts of pandemic and biodefense   

preparedness and response1 including the
 ,federal ,emergency ,management        
,agency1 the ,centers for ,disease      
,control and ,prevention1 and the       
,department of ,health and ,human       
,services4  #c4 ,definitions ,in this   
,act3 7#a7 ,agency ,the term agency has 
the meaning given that term in section  
#eea of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4
  7#b7 ,national ,pandemic and          
,biodefense ,preparedness and ,response 
,strategy2 ,strategy ,each of the terms 
,pandemic and ,biodefense ,preparedness 
and ,response ,strategy and ,strategy   
means the strategy developed and        
submitted to the ,congress under section
 #e1 including any report1 plan1 or     
strategy required to be incorporated    
into or issued concurrently with such   
strategy4  #d4 ,reorganization and      
improvement of management of ,federal   
pandemic and biodefense response        
agencies  7a7 ,director of ,pandemic and
 ,biodefense ,preparedness and ,response
  7#a7 ,in general ,there is a ,director

 of ,pandemic and ,biodefense           
,preparedness and ,response who shall be
 appointed by the ,president1 by and    
with the advice and consent of the      
,senate4 ,any individual nominated for  
appointment as ,director of ,pandemic   
and ,biodefense ,preparedness and       
,response shall have extensive pandemic 
and biodefense preparedness and response
 expertise4  7#b7 ,location ,the        
,director of ,pandemic and ,biodefense  
,preparedness and ,response shall not be
 located within the ,executive ,office  
of the ,president4  7#c7 ,deadline for  
appointment ,not later than #c months   
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act1 the ,president shall appoint a    
,director of ,pandemic and ,biodefense  
,preparedness and ,response4  7b7       
,principal responsibilities ,subject to 
the authority1 direction1 and control of
 the ,president1 the ,director of       
,pandemic and ,biodefense ,preparedness 
and ,response shall-- 7#a7 serve as head
 of the ,federal national pandemic and  

biodefense preparedness and response    
community2  7#b7 act as the principal   
adviser to the ,president1 the ,national
 ,security ,council1 and the ,homeland  
,security ,council for pandemic and     
biodefense preparedness and response2   
7#c7 oversee and direct the             
implementation of the ,national         
,pandemic and ,biodefense ,preparedness 
and ,response ,strategy and its         
execution through the coordination of   
,federal agencies and through the       
,united ,states participation in the    
,world ,health ,organization and other  
,intergovernmental ,organizations2  7#d7
 act as the principal adviser to the    
,president in a time of pandemic1       
biological attack1 or other major health
 crisis2  7#e7 to coordinate the        
,nation's response to such a crisis2    
7#f7 conduct a simulation exercise at   
least once each year of the response to 
a fictional pandemic1 biological attack1
 or other serious health crisis of      
high-level current and former government

 and nongovernmental officials in order 
to prepare for these potential events2  
7#g7 address the organizational         
structure and chain of command1 both in 
the ,federal ,government and at the     
,state level2  7#h7 ensure adequate     
laboratory surveillance of viruses1     
including the ability to isolate and    
subtype viruses year-round2  7#i7       
improve vaccine research1 development1  
and production2  7#aj7 procure adequate 
doses of antivirals for treatment2      
7#aa7 develop systems for tracking and  
distributing antiviral medication and   
vaccines2  7#ab7 prioritize who would   
receive antivirals and vaccines based on
 limited supplies2  7#ac7 stockpile     
medical and safety equipment for health 
care workers and first responders2      
7#ad7 assure surge capacity capabilities
 for health care providers and          
institutions2  7#ae7 secure a backup    
health care workforce in the event of a 
major health crisis2  7#af7 ensure the  
availability of food1 water1 and other  

essential items during a major health   
crisis2  7#ag7 provide guidance on      
needed ,state and local authority to    
implement public health measures such as
 isolation or quarantine2  7#ah7        
maintain core public functions1         
including public utilities1 refuse      
disposal1 mortuary services1            
transportation1 police and firefighter  
services1 and other critical services2  
7#ai7 establish networks that provide   
alerts and other information for health 
care providers2  7#bj7 communicate with 
the public with respect to prevention   
and obtaining care during a pandemic2   
7#ba7 provide security for first        
responders and other medical personnel  
and volunteers1 hospitals1 treatment    
centers1 isolation and quarantine areas1
 and transportation and delivery of     
resources2 and  7#bb7 work with         
established agencies and perform such   
other functions or activities as the    
,president may assign4  7c7 ,prohibition
 on dual service ,the individual serving

 in the position of ,director of        
,pandemic and ,biodefense ,preparedness 
and ,response shall not1 while so       
serving1 also serve as the head of any  
other agency of the ,federal            
,government4  7d7 ,national ,security   
,council ,the ,director of ,pandemic and
 ,biodefense ,preparedness and ,response
 shall be a member of the ,national     
,security ,council4  7e7 ,existing      
,federal agencies ,not later than #ij   
days after the date of the enactment of 
this ,act the ,director of ,pandemic and
 ,biodefense ,preparedness and ,response
 shall-- 7#a7 identify existing ,federal
 agencies charged with elements of      
pandemic and biodefense preparedness and
 response2 and  7#b7 report to the      
,congress recommendations for           
reorganizing such agencies under the    
,office of the ,director of ,pandemic   
and ,biodefense ,preparedness and       
,response to ensure full coordination   
among such agencies1 including changes  
to existing law that are necessary to   

carry out such recommendations4  7f7    
,pay ,the ,director of ,pandemic and    
,biodefense ,preparedness and ,response 
shall be paid at the rate of basic pay  
for level ,,ii of the ,executive        
,schedule under subchapter ,,ii of      
chapter #ec of title #e1 ,united ,states
 ,code4  #e4 ,national ,pandemic and    
,biodefense ,preparedness and ,response 
,strategy  7a7 ,in general ,not later   
than #a year after the date of the      
enactment of this ,act1 and every year  
thereafter1 the ,director of ,pandemic  
and ,biodefense ,preparedness and       
,response shall submit a ,national      
,pandemic and ,biodefense ,preparedness 
and ,response ,strategy to the          
,president and the ,congress4 ,the      
,strategy shall contain a summary of the
 current state of pandemic and          
biodefense preparedness and response in 
the ,united ,states1 and a comprehensive
 strategy to-- 7#a7 work across ,federal
 and ,state government agencies to      
implement a coherent integrated         

,strategy and associated plans2  7#b7   
prepare for and execute interagency     
planning and coordination to implement  
the ,strategy2  7#c7 provide for        
departmental and agency responsibility  
and accountability for each component of
 the ,strategy2  7#d7 budget for and    
fund requirements and sources under the 
,strategy2  7#e7 ensure international   
collaboration and coordination efforts  
to implement the ,strategy2 and  7#f7   
provide recommendations and a timeline  
for implementation of the ,strategy4    
7b7 ,application of ,,faca              
,notwithstanding the ,federal ,advisory 
,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app471   
nongovernment individuals and entities  
may participate in the preparation of   
the ,national ,pandemic and ,biodefense 
,preparedness and ,response ,strategy4  
#f4 ,health professional training ,the  
,director1 in consultation with         
professional health and medical         
societies1 shall develop and disseminate
 pandemic and biodefense training       

curricula-- 7#a7 to educate and train   
health professionals1 including         
physicians1 nurses1 public health       
practitioners1 virologists and          
epidemiologists1 veterinarians1 mental  
health providers1 allied health         
professionals1 and paramedics and other 
first responders2  7#b7 to educate and  
train volunteer1 nonmedical personnel   
whose assistance may be required during 
a pandemic1 biological attack1 or other 
major health crisis2  7#c7 that address 
prevention1 including use of quarantine 
and other isolation precautions1        
pandemic diagnosis1 medical guidelines  
for use of antivirals and vaccines1 and 
professional requirements and           
responsibilities1 as appropriate2  7#d7 
targeting distribution to high-risk     
groups1 including health professionals  
and relief personnel and other          
individuals determined to be most       
susceptible to illness or death from a  
pandemic1 biological attack1 or other   
major health crisis2  7#e7 ensuring     

equitable distribution of healthcare    
resources1 particularly across          
low-income and other underserved groups2
 and  7#f7 that integrate with existing 
,state and local systems as appropriate4
  #g4 ,reporting ,not later than #b     
years after the date of the enactment of
 this ,act1 and every #b years          
thereafter1 the ,director of ,pandemic  
and ,biodefense ,preparedness and       
,response1 in consultation with the     
,director of the ,office of ,management 
and ,budget1 shall submit to the        
,president and the ,congress a report   
that describes progress made in the     
implementation of the ,national         
,pandemic and ,biodefense ,preparedness 
and ,response ,strategy and in          
fulfilment of its objectives4