,i #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ahdi ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,march #aa1 #bjba,miss ,rice of ,new ,york introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce ,a ,,bill ,to authorize the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services1 acting through the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 to establish a core public health infrastructure program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,core public health infrastructure for ,state1 local1 ,tribal1 and territorial health departments 7a7 ,program ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services 7in this ,act referred to as the ,secretary71 acting through the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 shall establish a core public health infrastructure program consisting of awarding grants under subsection 7b74 7b7 ,grants 7#a7 ,award ,for the purpose of addressing core public health infrastructure needs1 the ,secretary-- 7,a7 shall award a grant to each ,state health department2 and 7,b7 may award grants on a competitive basis to ,state1 local1 ,tribal1 or territorial health departments4 7#b7 ,allocation ,of the total amount of funds awarded as grants under this subsection for a fiscal year-- 7,a7 not less than #ej percent shall be for grants to ,state health departments under paragraph 7#a77;,a72 and 7,b7 not less than #cj percent shall be for grants to ,state1 local1 ,tribal1 or territorial health departments under paragraph 7#a77;,b74 7c7 ,use of funds ,a ,state1 local1 ,tribal1 or territorial health department receiving a grant under subsection 7b7 shall use the grant funds to address core public health infrastructure needs1 including those identified in the accreditation process under subsection 7g74 7d7 ,formula grants to ,state health departments ,in making grants under subsection 7b77#a77;,a71 the ,secretary shall award funds to each ,state health department in accordance with-- 7#a7 a formula based on population size1 burden of preventable disease and disability1 and core public health infrastructure gaps1 including those identified in the accreditation process under subsection 7g72 and 7#b7 application requirements established by the ,secretary1 including a requirement that the ,state health department submit a plan that demonstrates to the satisfaction of the ,secretary that the ,state's health department will-- 7,a7 address its highest priority core public health infrastructure needs2 and 7,b7 as appropriate1 allocate funds to local health departments within the ,state4 7e7 ,competitive grants to ,state1 local1 ,tribal1 and territorial health departments ,in making grants under subsection 7b77#a77;,b71 the ,secretary shall give priority to applicants demonstrating core public health infrastructure needs identified in the accreditation process under subsection 7g74 7f7 ,maintenance of effort ,the ,secretary may award a grant to an entity under subsection 7b7 only if the entity demonstrates to the satisfaction of the ,secretary that-- 7#a7 funds received through the grant will be expended only to supplement1 and not supplant1 non-,federal and ,federal funds otherwise available to the entity for the purpose of addressing core public health infrastructure needs2 and 7#b7 with respect to activities for which the grant is awarded1 the entity will maintain expenditures of non-,federal amounts for such activities at a level not less than the level of such expenditures maintained by the entity for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the entity receives the grant4 7g7 ,establishment of a public health accreditation program 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 develop1 and periodically review and update1 standards for voluntary accreditation of ,state1 local1 ,tribal1 and territorial health departments and public health laboratories for the purpose of advancing the quality and performance of such departments and laboratories2 and 7,b7 implement a program to accredit such health departments and laboratories in accordance with such standards4 7#b7 ,cooperative agreement ,the ,secretary may enter into a cooperative agreement with a private nonprofit entity to carry out paragraph 7#a74 7h7 ,report ,the ,secretary shall submit to the ,congress an annual report on progress being made to accredit entities under subsection 7g71 including-- 7#a7 a strategy1 including goals and objectives1 for accrediting entities under subsection 7g7 and achieving the purpose described in subsection 7g77#a77;,a72 7#b7 identification of gaps in research related to core public health infrastructure2 and 7#c7 recommendations of priority areas for such research4 7i7 ,definition ,in this section1 the term core public health infrastructure includes-- 7#a7 workforce capacity and competency2 7#b7 laboratory systems2 7#c7 testing capacity1 including test platforms1 mobile testing units1 and personnel2 7#d7 health information1 health information systems1 and health information analysis2 7#e7 disease surveillance2 7#f7 contact tracing2 7#g7 communications2 7#h7 financing2 7#i7 other relevant components of organizational capacity2 and 7#aj7 other related activities4 7j7 ,authorization of appropriations ,to carry out this section1 there are authorized to be appropriated #f1jjj1jjj1jjj for the period of fiscal years #bjbb through #bjbf4 #b4 ,core public health infrastructure and activities for ,,cdc 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary1 acting through the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 shall expand and improve the core public health infrastructure and activities of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention to address unmet and emerging public health needs4 7b7 ,report ,the ,secretary shall submit to the ,congress an annual report on the activities funded through this section4 7c7 ,definition ,in this section1 the term core public health infrastructure has the meaning given to such term in section #a4 7d7 ,authorization of appropriations ,to carry out this section1 there is authorized to be appropriated #a1jjj1jjj1jjj for the period of fiscal years #bjbb through #bjbf4