Sec. 737. Availability of Defense Health Program and other funds for certain medical countermeasures
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Chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1100 the following new section: Subject to the availability of appropriations for such purpose, amounts available under the Defense Health Program account established under section 1100, and amounts available under the Operation and Maintenance, Army account for medical readiness, may be obligated or expended by the Director of the Defense Health Agency to conduct the activities described in subsection
(b)for the protection and sustainment of deployed forces across the roles of medical care. The activities described in this subsection are the following: The procurement or pre-positioning of a medical countermeasure for forward deployment. The forward deployment of a medical countermeasure. Any associated logistics, storage, or sustainment activity necessary to ensure the availability or readiness of a forward-deployed medical countermeasure. The Director of the Defense Health Agency shall coordinate with the Secretaries of the military departments and the commanders of the combatant commands with respect to any obligation or expenditure of funds under subsection (a). In this section: The term medical countermeasure includes— a vaccine, therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic; and an advanced wound care product, including antimicrobial and barrier-protective dressings such as silver-plated bandages. The term roles of medical care has the meaning given such term in the publication of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff titled Joint Publication 4-02: Joint Health Service , dated December 11, 2017, or such successor publication. . Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for three years, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report describing— the categories of medical countermeasures procured and forward-deployed using funds authorized to be obligated or expended under section 1100 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a); the locations supported by any such use of funds; and any gaps or shortfalls identified in connection with the provision of such medical countermeasures to deployed forces.