119-hr1961

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1961 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 1961

 To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services to establish and implement a department-wide 
 after-action program and a risk communication strategy, and for other 
 purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 March 6, 2025

 Mr. Torres of New York introduced the following bill; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services to establish and implement a department-wide 
 after-action program and a risk communication strategy, and for other 
 purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Coordinated Agency Response 
Enhancement Act'' or the ``CARE Act''.

SEC. 2. HHS AFTER-ACTION PROGRAM.

 Part P of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
280g et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``

SEC. 399V-8. DEPARTMENT-WIDE AFTER-ACTION PROGRAM.

 ``

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish, maintain, and 
implement an after-action program to--
 ``

    (1) identify and implement solutions for issues found 
 following any response by the Department of Health and Human 
 Services to a determination of a public health emergency under 
 

section 319

    (a) ; and
 ``

    (2) encourage collaboration among the agencies of the 
 Department, including by integrating any public health 
 emergency after-action programs of such agencies.
 ``

    (b) Deadline.--The Secretary shall establish and begin 
implementation of the after-action program under subsection

    (a) not 
later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section.
 ``
            (c) Coordination With Stakeholders.--The after-action program 
under subsection

    (a) shall include input from, and coordinate with, 
relevant external stakeholders involved in each public health emergency 
response of the Department of Health and Human Services, such as--
 ``

    (1) other Federal agencies;
 ``

    (2) other jurisdictions, including the health departments 
 of States, Indian Tribes, and territories of the United States 
 and municipalities thereof; and
 ``

    (3) nongovernmental partners.
 ``
            (d) Oversight by Inspector General.--The Inspector General of the 
Department of Health and Human Services shall, whenever the Inspector 
General determines appropriate, based on assessed risks and emerging 
needs--
 ``

    (1) evaluate the efficacy of the after-action program 
 under subsection

    (a) , including by evaluating the ability of 
 the program to identify challenges and propose solutions; and
 ``

    (2) submit to Congress a report summarizing the 
 evaluation under paragraph

    (1) .
 ``

    (e) Comprehensive Guidelines for After-Action Program Reports.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--The Secretary shall, as the Secretary 
 determines appropriate, incorporate in any report of the after-
 action program under subsection

    (a) the elements described in 
 subparagraphs
        (A) through
            (M) of paragraph

    (2) .
 ``

    (2) Elements described.--
 ``
        (A) Emergency operations plan, continuity of 
 operations plan, and business continuity plan 
 reviews.--A description of the process and outcomes of 
 reviewing and updating emergency operations plans, 
 continuity of operations plans, and business continuity 
 plans both annually and after significant public health 
 emergencies. Such description may include insights into 
 the relevancy and efficiency of such plans in practice.
 ``
        (B) Information sharing, situational awareness.--
 A description of the establishment and effectiveness of 
 protocols for efficient information sharing (consistent 
 with applicable disclosure laws) and situational 
 awareness among health care facilities and partners, 
 including the development and deployment of an 
 integrated joint information system.
 ``
            (C) Coordination with national, state, and local 
 coalitions and community partners.--Descriptions of--
 ``
            (i) strategies for coordination with 
 national, State, and local health care patient 
 and public health coalitions and community 
 partners, focusing on active engagement and 
 information sharing (consistent with applicable 
 disclosure laws);
 ``
            (ii) information technology solutions 
 used for coordination during public health 
 emergencies; and
 ``
            (iii) how medical operations coordination 
 cells were implemented for effective patient 
 load balancing during surges to assure regional 
 health care coordination.
 ``
            (D) Incident management.--A description of 
 incident management structures, including the 
 maintenance of the incident command system and the 
 establishment of an incident action planning process.
 ``
        (E) Communications, information sharing.--A 
 description of strategies for the development and 
 maintenance of a dynamic communications framework for 
 real-time information sharing (consistent with 
 applicable disclosure laws) and situational awareness.
 ``
        (F) Staff, space, and resident management.--A 
 description of strategies for comprehensive staff 
 management plans, scalable space management strategies, 
 and policies adopted to maintain patient and resident 
 well-being.
 ``
        (G) Logistics and supply chain management.--A 
 description of strategies for developing comprehensive 
 logistics and supply chain management strategies to 
 ensure a steady and sufficient supply of personal 
 protective equipment, medical equipment, 
 pharmaceuticals, and other items.
 ``
        (H) Resource management.--A description of 
 strategies for implementing crisis standards of care 
 protocols to optimize the allocation and use of medical 
 and non-medical assets during emergencies, including 
 guidelines for the conservation, reuse, or repurposing 
 of supplies.
 ``
            (I) Infection prevention.--A description of 
 strategies for enhancing infection prevention measures, 
 including staff training, environmental cleaning, and 
 patient screening, to mitigate the spread of infectious 
 diseases within health care facilities.
 ``
        (J) Treatment, transport, and discharge 
 protocols.--A description of how treatment, transport, 
 and discharge protocols were standardized to ensure 
 consistency and efficiency in patient care and 
 movement, including the incorporation of telehealth and 
 remote monitoring solutions where feasible, explaining 
 the technologies used and the outcomes of the 
 interventions.
 ``
        (K) Case management protocols.--Descriptions of--
 ``
            (i) how case management protocols were 
 refined to address both clinical and non-
 clinical needs of patients and residents; and
 ``
            (ii) the measures taken to ensure 
 coordinated care and support throughout the 
 treatment and recovery phases, detailing the 
 challenges faced and the strategies employed to 
 overcome such challenges.
 ``
            (L) Medical countermeasures.--Descriptions of--
 ``
            (i) the strategy employed to accelerate 
 the development, distribution, and 
 administration of medical countermeasures, such 
 as vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostic tests, 
 and treatments; and
 ``
            (ii) the challenges encountered in making 
 such medical countermeasures available for use 
 during the public health emergency and how such 
 challenges were addressed.
 ``
            (M) Recovery.--A description of any implemented 
 recovery strategies focusing on administrative, 
 financial, policy, and equity considerations.
 ``

    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated, to remain available until expended--
 ``

    (1) $3,500,000 to carry out subsections

    (a) ,

    (b) ,
            (c) , 
 and

    (e) , including the first 4 reports of the after-action 
 program; and
 ``

    (2) such sums as may be necessary to carry out subsection
            (d) .''.

SEC. 3. RISK COMMUNICATION STRATEGY.

 Part P of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
280g et seq.), as amended by 

section 2, is further amended by adding at 
the end the following:

``

SEC. 399V-9. RISK COMMUNICATION STRATEGY.

 ``

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish, maintain, and 
implement a comprehensive strategy to ensure that communications about 
infectious diseases and other public health risks by agencies and 
offices of the Department of Health and Human Services, including the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are clear, accurate, and 
prioritize the populations most at risk.
 ``

    (b) Components.--The strategy under subsection

    (a) shall be 
designed to--
 ``

    (1) clearly identify at-risk populations during public 
 health emergencies; and
 ``

    (2) ensure that communications are targeted, 
 understandable, and accessible.
 ``
            (c) Initial Strategy.--The Secretary shall establish and begin 
implementation of the initial strategy under subsection

    (a) not later 
than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section.''.
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