§247d–6. Public health countermeasures to a bioterrorist attack
(a) Working group on preparedness for acts of bioterrorism
The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, shall establish a joint interdepartmental working group on preparedness and readiness for the medical and public health effects of a bioterrorist attack on the civilian population. Such joint working group shall-
(1) coordinate research on pathogens likely to be used in a bioterrorist attack on the civilian population as well as therapies to treat such pathogens;
(2) coordinate research and development into equipment to detect pathogens likely to be used in a bioterrorist attack on the civilian population and protect against infection from such pathogens;
(3) develop shared standards for equipment to detect and to protect against infection from pathogens likely to be used in a bioterrorist attack on the civilian population; and
(4) coordinate the development, maintenance, and procedures for the release of, strategic reserves of vaccines, drugs, and medical supplies which may be needed rapidly after a bioterrorist attack upon the civilian population.
(b) Working group on the public health and medical consequences of bioterrorism
(1) In general
The Secretary, in collaboration with the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Agriculture, shall establish a joint interdepartmental working group to address the public health and medical consequences of a bioterrorist attack on the civilian population.
(2) Functions
Such working group shall-
(A) assess the priorities for and enhance the preparedness of public health institutions, providers of medical care, and other emergency service personnel to detect, diagnose, and respond to a bioterrorist attack; and
(B) in the recognition that medical and public health professionals are likely to provide much of the first response to such an attack, develop, coordinate, enhance, and assure the quality of joint planning and training programs that address the public health and medical consequences of a bioterrorist attack on the civilian population between-
(i) local firefighters, ambulance personnel, police and public security officers, or other emergency response personnel; and
(ii) hospitals, primary care facilities, and public health agencies.
(3) Working group membership
In establishing such working group, the Secretary shall act through the Assistant Secretary for Health and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
(4) Coordination
The Secretary shall ensure coordination and communication between the working groups established in this subsection and subsection (a) of this section.
(c) Grants
(1) In general
The Secretary, in coordination with the working group established under subsection (b) of this section, shall, on a competitive basis and following scientific or technical review, award grants to or enter into cooperative agreements with eligible entities to enable such entities to increase their capacity to detect, diagnose, and respond to acts of bioterrorism upon the civilian population.
(2) Eligibility
To be an eligible entity under this subsection, such entity must be a State, political subdivision of a State, a consortium of two or more States or political subdivisions of States, or a hospital, clinic, or primary care facility.
(3) Use of funds
An entity that receives a grant under this subsection shall use such funds for activities that are consistent with the priorities identified by the working group under subsection (b) of this section, including-
(A) training health care professionals and public health personnel to enhance the ability of such personnel to recognize the symptoms and epidemiological characteristics of exposure to a potential bioweapon;
(B) addressing rapid and accurate identification of potential bioweapons;
(C) coordinating medical care for individuals exposed to bioweapons; and
(D) facilitating and coordinating rapid communication of data generated from a bioterrorist attack between national, State, and local health agencies, and health care providers.
(4) Coordination
The Secretary, in awarding grants under this subsection, shall-
(A) notify the Director of the Office of Justice Programs, and the Director of the National Domestic Preparedness Office annually as to the amount and status of grants awarded under this subsection; and
(B) coordinate grants awarded under this subsection with grants awarded by the Office of Emergency Preparedness and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the purpose of improving the capacity of health care providers and public health agencies to respond to bioterrorist attacks on the civilian population.
(5) Activities
An entity that receives a grant under this subsection shall, to the greatest extent practicable, coordinate activities carried out with such funds with the activities of a local Metropolitan Medical Response System.
(d) Federal assistance
The Secretary shall ensure that the Department of Health and Human Services is able to provide such assistance as may be needed to State and local health agencies to enable such agencies to respond effectively to bioterrorist attacks.
(e) Education
The Secretary, in collaboration with members of the working group described in subsection (b) of this section, and professional organizations and societies, shall-
(1) develop and implement educational programs to instruct public health officials, medical professionals, and other personnel working in health care facilities in the recognition and care of victims of a bioterrorist attack; and
(2) develop and implement programs to train laboratory personnel in the recognition and identification of a potential bioweapon.
(f) Future resource development
The Secretary shall consult with the working group described in subsection (a) of this section, to develop priorities for and conduct research, investigations, experiments, demonstrations, and studies in the health sciences related to-
(1) the epidemiology and pathogenesis of potential bioweapons;
(2) the development of new vaccines or other therapeutics against pathogens likely to be used in a bioterrorist attack;
(3) the development of medical diagnostics to detect potential bioweapons; and
(4) other relevant research areas.
(g) General Accounting Office report
Not later than 180 days after November 13, 2000, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Commerce and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report that describes-
(1) Federal activities primarily related to research on, preparedness for, and the management of the public health and medical consequences of a bioterrorist attack against the civilian population;
(2) the coordination of the activities described in paragraph (1);
(3) the amount of Federal funds authorized or appropriated for the activities described in paragraph (1); and
(4) the effectiveness of such efforts in preparing national, State, and local authorities to address the public health and medical consequences of a potential bioterrorist attack against the civilian population.
(h) Supplement not supplant
Funds appropriated under this section shall be used to supplement and not supplant other Federal, State, and local public funds provided for activities under this section.
(i) Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $215,000,000 for fiscal year 2001, and such sums as may be necessary for each subsequent fiscal year through 2006.
(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, §319F, as added
Change of Name
Committee on Commerce of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Energy and Commerce of House of Representatives, and jurisdiction over matters relating to securities and exchanges and insurance generally transferred to Committee on Financial Services of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Seventh Congress, Jan. 3, 2001.