Sec. 515. Policy statement on public health preparedness
283 words·~1 min read·
/bill/115/hconres/71/rh/section-515·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The House finds the following: The Constitution requires the Federal Government to provide for the common defense. As such, the Nation must prioritize its ability to respond rapidly and effectively to a public health crisis or bioterrorism threat. There is a persistent threat of bioterrorism against American lives. Naturally-occurring public health threats can spread through the transmission of communicable diseases during international trade and travel. As of April 3, 2016, the World Health Organization reported nearly 29,000 cases of the Ebola virus worldwide, including 4 instances in the U.S. As of July 12, 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC)reports that the current Zika epidemic resulted in over 5,000 cases of the Zika virus within the United States, with nearly 37,000 more cases reported in U.S. territories. Preventing the spread of disease to Americans requires halting threats before they breach the U.S. border. The United States is a leader in global public health assistance and orchestrates international responses to health crises. It is the policy of this concurrent resolution that— the House should continue to fund activities of the CDC, the National Institutes of Health, and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to develop and stockpile medical countermeasures to infectious diseases and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear agents; the House should, within available budgetary resources, provide continued support for research, prevention, and public health preparedness programs; the Federal Government should encourage private-sector development of critical vaccines and other medical countermeasures to emerging public health threats; and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of State should collaborate on global health preparedness initiatives to prevent overlap and promote responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources.