119-hr2707

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2707 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 2707

To develop a modernized strategy for ensuring the defense of the United 
 States from the anthrax threat, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 April 8, 2025

Mr. Davis of North Carolina (for himself and Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
 Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
 each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
 jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To develop a modernized strategy for ensuring the defense of the United 
 States from the anthrax threat, 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 ``Protecting American Families and 
Servicemembers from Anthrax Act''.

SEC. 2. DEVELOPING A MODERNIZED STRATEGY FOR ENSURING THE DEFENSE OF 
 THE UNITED STATES FROM THE ANTHRAX THREAT.

    (a) Modernized Strategy.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
 enactment of this Act, the covered Secretaries shall develop a 
 modernized 10-year strategy for ensuring sustained stockpiling 
 of anthrax countermeasures, including the replenishment, 
 consistent with requirement levels, of such anthrax 
 countermeasures stockpiled--
        (A) in the Strategic National Stockpile under 
 

section 319F-2

    (a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
 U.S.C. 247d-6b

    (a) ); or
        (B) by the Secretary of Defense, including such 
 anthrax countermeasures stockpiled in protection and 
 treatment of civilians, servicemembers, and dependents 
 on military installations.

    (2) Cooperation and sustainability.--The strategy described 
 in paragraph

    (1) shall ensure innovative cooperation with, and 
 sustainability of, manufacturers of anthrax countermeasures.

    (b) Reporting.--

    (1) Initial report.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
 of enactment of this Act, the covered Secretaries shall submit 
 to the appropriate congressional committees a report on--
        (A) the threat, to the people and military 
 installations of the United States, of weaponized 
 anthrax from foreign countries, foreign terrorist 
 organizations (as designated by the Secretary of State 
 in accordance with 

section 219

    (a) of the Immigration 
 and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189

    (a) )), and other 
 threat streams;
        (B) programs and activities of the Federal 
 Government (other than programs and activities under 
 the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasure 
 Enterprise, such as multi-year budgets, research and 
 development investments, and countermeasure 
 procurements) that address the modernized strategy 
 under subsection

    (a)

    (1) , including such programs and 
 activities that address multidrug-resistant strains; 
 and
            (C) initiatives of the Federal Government to ensure 
 adequate availability of anthrax countermeasures for 
 treatment of military dependents on United States 
 military installations in foreign countries.

    (2) Inclusion of modernized strategy.--The report under 
 paragraph

    (1) shall include the modernized strategy under 
 subsection

    (a)

    (1) .

    (3) Annual updates.--Following the submission of the report 
 under paragraph

    (1) , the covered Secretaries shall, on an 
 annual basis, submit to the appropriate congressional 
 committees an update to such report.

    (4) Form.--The report under paragraph

    (1) and the updates 
 under paragraph

    (3) shall be submitted in classified form but 
 may include an unclassified annex.
            (c) === Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) Anthrax countermeasure.--The term ``anthrax 
 countermeasure''--
        (A) means a drug, device, or biological product 
 intended to counter the effects of anthrax that is 
 approved, cleared, classified, licensed, or otherwise 
 authorized by the Food and Drug Administration; and
        (B) includes an antitoxin and a prophylactic.

    (2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
 ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
        (A) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
 Representatives;
        (B) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
            (C) the Committee on Armed Services of the House of 
 Representatives;
            (D) the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate;
        (E) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
 House of Representatives; and
        (F) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
 Pensions of the Senate.

    (3) Covered secretaries.--The term ``covered Secretaries'' 
 means the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting 
 through the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, 
 and the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Assistant 
 Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological 
 Defense Programs, acting jointly, in consultation with the 
 members of the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures 
 Enterprise established under 

section 2811-1 of the Public 
 Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300hh-10a).
 <all>