,,ii  #aag? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #bcf  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!       
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,febru>y #d1 #bjba,ms4 
,baldw9 7= h]self1 ,mr4 ,br[n1 ,mrs4    
,fe9/e91 ,mr4 ,blum5?al1 ,mr4 ,m>key1   
,mr4 ,pet]s1 & ,ms4 ,klobu*>7 introduc$ 
! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$
 to ! ,committee on ,heal?1 ,education1 
,labor1 & ,p5sions  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
improve activities = ! ga!r+ ( data on1 
& ! track+ (1 new v>iants ( ,,covid-#ai4
  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ 
z ! ,track+ ,,covid-#ai ,v>iants ,act4  
#b4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds t-- 7#a7 new  
v>iants ( ,,s>s-,co,v-#b are be+        
id5tifi$ ar\nd ! _w & 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates2
  7#b7 id5tify+ new v>iants (           
,,s>s-,co,v-#b & analyz+ ! epidemiology 
( v>iants are critical to ! cont9u$     
response to ! ,,covid-#ai p&emic & ef=ts
 to prep>e = future p&emics2  7#c7      
national sequ5ce-bas$ surveillance w    
enable ! ,unit$ ,/ates to be/ id5tify   
new v>iants2 &  7#d7 ! ,unit$ ,/ates is 
conduct+ sequ5ce-bas$ surveillance (    

approximately #j4c p]c5t ( ,,covid-#ai  
cases1 lagg+ f> beh9d o!r nations4  #c4 
,guidance ,! ,secret>y ( ,heal? & ,human
 ,s]vices 7ref]r$ to 9 ?is ,act z !     
,secret>y71 act+ ?r\gh ! ,director ( !  
,c5t]s = ,disease ,control & ,prev5tion1
 %all issue national guidance to support
 sci5tific collaboration relat+ to viral
 sequ5c+ z a key /rategy to !           
,,covid-#ai response activities ( !     
,unit$ ,/ates1 includ+ guidance relat$  
to ! %>+ ( specim5s obta9$ f pati5ts1 ! 
secure %>+ ( in=mation ab\t su* specim5s
 necess>y = an effective public heal?   
response to ,,covid-#ai1 & ! appropriate
 use ( viral sequ5ce data d]iv$ f su*   
specim5s4  #d4 ,fund+ = g5omic sequ5c+1 
analytics1 & disease surveillance  7a7  
,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y1 act+ ?r\gh !     
,director ( ! ,c5t]s = ,disease ,control
 & ,prev5tion1 %all e/abli% & implem5t a
 program to /r5g!n & exp& activities    
relat$ to g5omic sequ5c+1 analytics1 &  
disease surveillance4  7b7 ,use ( funds 
,9 implem5t+ ! program "u subsection    

7a71 ! ,secret>y1 act+ ?r\gh ! ,director
 ( ! ,c5t]s = ,disease ,control &       
,prev5tion1 %all-- 7#a7 conduct & exp&  
activities1 includ+ support+ ! ,advanc$ 
,molecul> ,detection ,program1 to       
sequ5ce ! g5ome ( circulat+ /ra9s ( !   
,,s>s-,co,v-#b virus1 to id5tify        
mutations 9 ! ,,s>s-,co,v-#b virus1 & to
 survey ! circulation & transmission (  
v>iant /ra9s ( ! ,,s>s-,co,v-#b virus2  
7#b7 provide te*nical assi/ance &       
guidance & aw>d grants or coop]ative    
agreem5ts to ,/ate1 local1 ,tribal1 or  
t]ritorial public heal? dep>tm5ts to    
increase ! capacity ( su* dep>tm5ts to  
sequ5ce ! g5ome ( circulat+ /ra9s ( !   
,,s>s-,co,v-#b virus1 to id5tify        
mutations 9 ! ,,s>s-,co,v-#b virus1 to  
use g5omic sequ5c+ to id5tify outbreaks 
& clu/]s ( ,,covid-#ai infections caus$ 
by specific v>iants ( ,,s>s-,co,v-#b1 & 
to develop effective ,,covid-#ai        
response /rategies bas$ on g5etic       
sequ5c+ & surveillance data2 &  7#c7    
c>ry out activities to bo? enhance !    

in=matics capabilities ( ! public heal? 
work=ce & exp& ! numb]s ( qualifi$      
public heal? in=maticians available to  
analyze & int]pret data produc$ ?r\gh   
advanc$ molecul> detection & g5omic     
sequ5c+ to e/abli%1 exp&1 or enhance    
capacity = conduct+ /ati/ical public    
heal? rese>*4  7c7 ,implem5tation  7#a7 
,coop]ative agreem5ts = te*nical        
assi/ance ,coop]ative agreem5ts describ$
 9 subsection 7b77#b7 may include       
p>tn]%ips ) academic rese>* in/itutions4
  7#b7 ,capacity = %>+ & l9k+ ,!        
capacity ref]r$ to 9 subsection 7b77#c7 
may include %>+ & l9k+ in=mation &      
access+ & utiliz+ l9k$ heal? data files 
9 accordance ) e/abli%$ data use        
agreem5ts ) data hold]s 7includ+        
electronic case report+1 electronic     
heal? records1 & electronic te/ ord]s & 
results7 ) public heal? ag5cies & relat$
 sy/ems1 includ+ ! ,national ,dea?      
,index1 immunization in=mation sy/ems1  
syndromic surveillance sy/ems1          
laboratory in=mation managem5t sy/ems1  

electronic case report+ sy/ems1 m$ical  
exam9] case managem5t sy/ems1 & ,pati5t 
,unifi$ ,look-up ,sy/ems = ,em]g5cies4  
7d7 ,facilities ,funds appropriat$ "u   
subsection 7f7 may be us$ = grants = !  
con/ruction1 alt]ation1 or r5ovation (  
non-f$]ally own$ facilities to improve  
g5etic sequ5c+ & surveillance           
capabilities at ! ,/ate & local level4  
7e7 ,expansion ( ongo+ activities ,funds
 appropriat$ "u subsection 7f7 may be   
us$ = grants = ! ma9t5ance & expansion (
 curr5t & ongo+ activities to analyze & 
int]pret data produc$ ?r\gh advanc$     
molecul> detection & g5omic sequ5c+1    
includ+ = em]g+ public heal? ?reats4    
7f7 ,au?orization ( appropriations ,!re 
is au?oriz$ to be appropriat$1          
#b1jjj1jjj1jjj = fiscal ye> #bjba to    
c>ry out ?is section1 to rema9 available
 until exp5d$4  #e4 ,evid5ce-build+     
demon/ration program  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,!   
,secret>y1 act+ ?r\gh ! ,director ( !   
,national ,c5t] = ,heal? ,/ati/ics1 %all
 c>ry out a demon/ration program to exp&

 ! data l9kage program ( ! ,dep>tm5t (  
,heal? & ,human ,s]vices1 consi/+ (     
,f$]al /ati/ical & programmatic datasets
 f specifi$ ,f$]al entities1 z au?oriz$ 
by sub*apt] ,,iii ( *apt] #ce ( title   
#dd1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 = ! purpose ( 
facilitat+ /ati/ical public heal? rese>*
 on tr5ds & patt]ns across specifically 
def9$1 /ati/ically relevant populations1
 ) a p>ticul> focus on l9k+ social      
det]m9ants ( heal? data1 includ+ )      
respect to-- 7#a7 food insecurity2  7#b7
 h\s+ in/ability2  7#c7 transportation  
access2  7#d7 safety2  7#e7 social      
connection & isolation2  7#f7 f9ancial  
res\rce /ra92  7#g7 /ress2  7#h7 race & 
e?nicity2 &  7#i7 sexual ori5tation &   
g5d] id5tity4  7b7 ,activities          
,activities c>ri$ out "u ! demon/ration 
program "u ?is section %all include--   
7#a7 assess+ ! availability ( id5tifi$ &
 deid5tifi$ data sets held by ,f$]al1   
,/ate1 local1 & non-,f$]al entities t   
may be useful = rese>* describ$ 9       
subsection 7a72 &  7#b7 us+ exi/+       

au?orities & l9kages ( data 9 accordance
 ) sub*apt] ,,iii ( *apt] #ce ( title   
#dd1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 :5 relevant to
 reque/ ! submission ( datasets to !    
,national ,c5t] = ,heal? ,/ati/ics =    
l9k+4  7c7 ,limitation ,! ,secret>y %all
 limit access to data "u ! demon/ration 
program "u ?is section-- 7#a7 to ,f$]al 
/ati/ical ag5cies & qualifi$ public &   
private rese>*]s1 z det]m9$ by !        
,director ( ! ,national ,c5t] = ,heal?  
,/ati/ics2  7#b7 = a p]iod to be        
specifi$ by ! ,secret>y2 &  7#c7        
exclusively = ! purpose describ$ 9      
subsection 7a74  7d7 ,process = mak+    
data available  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,consi/5t 
) p>agraph 7#b71 ! ,secret>y %all       
e/abli% a rigor\s process = mak+ data   
available & usable "u ! demon/ration    
program "u ?is section4  7#b7           
,requirem5ts ,prior to mak+ any data    
available "u ! demon/ration program "u  
?is section1 by an entity describ$ 9    
subsection 7b77#a7 to ano!r entity      
describ$ 9 subsection 7b77#a7-- 7,a7 !  

receiv+ entity %all submit to !         
,director ( ! ,national ,c5t] = ,heal?  
,/ati/ics an application = data = !     
purpose describ$ 9 subsection 7a72 &    
7,b7 ! ,director %all approve or d5y su*
 reque/ 9 writ+1 includ+ 9 ! case ( a   
d5ial an explanation ( ! reasons = !    
d5ial4  7e7 ,rulemak+  7#a7 ,no delay on
 implem5tation ,! ,secret>y-- 7,a7 %all 
beg9 ! implem5tation ( ! demon/ration   
program "u ?is section ^u ! date (      
enactm5t ( ?is ,act2 &  7,b7 %all n     
delay su* implem5tation = purposes (    
promulgat+ ! regulations requir$ by     
p>agraph 7#b74  7#b7 ,promulgation ,!   
,secret>y %all-- 7,a7 promulgate        
regulations = c>ry+ out ?is section2 &  
7,b7 specify 9 su* regulations ! all[$ &
 disall[$ purposes = %>+ & l9k+ data    
?r\gh ! program1 includ+ areas (        
pot5tial rese>*4  7f7 ,website ,!       
,secret>y %all ma9ta9 a publicly        
accessible website-- 7#a7 provid+       
in=mation ab\t ! demon/ration program "u
 ?is section2  7#b7 facilitat+ /akehold]

 p>ticipation 9 su* demon/ration        
program2  7#c7 facilitat+ ov]sight ( su*
 demon/ration program2  7#d7 provid+    
li/s ( datasets f ,f$]al & non-,f$]al   
entities2  7#e7 provid+ li/s ( id5tifi$ 
& deid5tifi$ datasets2  7#f7 id5tify+   
l9k$ datasets2  7#g7 del9eat+ a process 
to protect privacy & confid5tiality2    
7#h7 id5tify+ s\rces ( ! datasets2 &    
7#i7 del9eat+ categories ( p]sonal data4
  7g7 ,program requirem5ts ,!           
demon/ration program "u ?is section %all
 be design$ to-- 7#a7 support data mat*+
 s]vices = ag5cies & rese>*]s us+ !     
,national ,dea? ,index2 &  7#b7         
facilitate collaboration ) ,/ates &     
private entities to exam9e1 update1 &   
mod]nize ! fee /ructure ( ! ,national   
,dea? ,index to support a broad range ( 
data qu]ies4  7h7 ,contract$ entities   
7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,subject to ! availability
 ( appropriations1 ! ,secret>y may ent] 
into contracts ) eligible entities1 z   
appropriate1 = infra/ructure & support  
s]vices 9 c>ry+ out ! demon/ration      

program "u ?is section4  7#b7           
,eligibility ,to be eligible = a        
contract "u p>agraph 7#a71 an entity    
%all-- 7,a7 demon/rate core capabilities
 = data %>+1 data l9kage1 & compliance )
 sub*apt] ,,iii ( *apt] #ce ( title #dd1
 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code2 &  7,b7 adh]e to  
security /&>ds 9 accordance ) ! ,f$]al  
,risk & ,au?orization ,managem5t        
,program 7or any successor program74    
7i7 ,rule ( con/ruction ,no?+ 9 ?is     
section %all be con/ru$ to au?orize !   
availability or use ( data =-- 7#a7 law 
en=cem5t2 or  7#b7 any det]m9ation ( !  
eligibility ( an individual = any direct
 or indirect paym5t1 b5efit1 or s]vice4 
7j7 ,report to ,congress ,n lat] ?an #a 
ye> aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 &
 annually !reaft]1 ! ,secret>y %all     
submit a report to ! ,congress on !     
implem5tation ( ?is section1 includ+--  
7#a7 id5tification ( be/ ,/ate practices
 =-- 7,a7 %>+ data )1 & report+ data to1
 ! ,national ,dea? ,index2 &  7,b7      
ensur+ ! quality ( su* data2 &  7#b7    

recomm5dations to improve-- 7,a7 su* %>+
 & report+2 &  7,b7 access to !         
,national ,dea? ,index by rese>*]s4  7k7
 ,au?orization ( appropriations ,!re is 
au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ to c>ry out  
?is section1 #aj1jjj1jjj = fiscal ye>   
#bjba1 to rema9 available until exp5d$4