H.R. 9981 — Introduced in House

I 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 9981 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 30, 2026Mr. Gottheimer (for himself and Mr. Bacon) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To prohibit reductions in force or other staffing reductions for certain Centers of Disease Control and Prevention divisions, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Foodborne Illness Rapid Response Act. 2. Prohibition on reductions in force or other staffing reductions for certain Centers of Disease Control and Prevention divisions Section 205 of the Food Safety Modernization Act (21 U.S.C. 2224) is amended by adding at the end the following: (d) Prohibition on reductions in force or other staffing reductions (1) In general The Secretary may not, during the 1-year period following a multi-state or nationally significant foodborne illness outbreak, carry out a covered staffing reduction effort with respect to the divisions of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention responsible for surveillance of foodborne diseases and foodborne illness outbreak response. (2) Covered staffing reduction effort In this subsection, the term staffing reduction effort means any agency action (including a reduction in force conducted pursuant to subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 5, United States Code, or any agency reorganization) that provides for the removal of 1 percent or more of the total number of employees at each of the divisions of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention responsible for surveillance of foodborne diseases and foodborne illness outbreak response within a 60-day period. .