Sec. 716. ESTABLISHMENT OF MILITARY PHARMACEUTICAL AND MEDICAL DEVICE VULNERABILITY WORKING GROUP

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## SEC. 716 ESTABLISHMENT OF MILITARY PHARMACEUTICAL AND MEDICAL DEVICE VULNERABILITY WORKING GROUP ###

(a)Establishment Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, shall establish a military pharmaceutical and medical device vulnerability working group. ###

(b)Membership Each member of the working group shall be a member of the Armed Forces or a civilian employee of the Department of Defense. ###

(c)Cochairs The Secretary shall appoint a chair of the working group. The working group shall elect a cochair from among its members. ###

(d)Duties The duties of the working group shall include the following: ####

(1)To provide a forum for members of the working group to discuss issues involving access, threats, and vulnerabilities to pharmaceuticals, therapeutics and medical devices in operational environments of the Department. ####

(2)To identify current vulnerabilities, including supply chain issues, active pharmaceutical ingredient supplies, device component issues and cyber and electronic threats that may disrupt operations of the Department. ####

(3)To identify locations where the Secretary can support manufacturing capabilities needed to improve the timely increase of domestic production. ####

(4)To review policies of the Department to identify pharmaceutical manufacturing and supply guidance related to— #####

(A)diversification of the supply chain; #####

(B)transparency from pharmaceutical suppliers and manufacturers; #####

(C)prerequisites for a vendor to sell to the Department during a shortage; #####

(D)timely communication regarding a potential shortage or other supply chain disruption; and #####

(E)the application of rules and processes of the Food and Drug Administration to the Department. ####

(5)To include any information in the joint medical estimate of the Department or a similar report that highlights information that would be classified as sensitive or requiring a security classification above unclassified. ####

(6)To develop a plan for the allocation of scarce pharmaceutical resources within the Department during a supply chain disruption and potential conflicts with competitors highlighted in the national defense strategy. ####

(7)To develop a plan for stockpiling essential medications to ensure availability of a 180-day supply during an armed conflict or other supply chain disruption. ####

(8)To develop a plan that mitigates vulnerabilities to active pharmaceutical ingredient supply chains and reduces dependence on active pharmaceutical ingredients from foreign sources. ###

(e)Briefings ####

(1)Initial briefing Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives an interim briefing on the organization, activities, plans, actions and milestones of the working group. ####

(2)Annual briefing Not later than September 30 of each year, beginning in 2025 and ending in 2028, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a briefing describing the activities, funding, plans, actions, and milestones of the working group, and other matters determined by the Secretary, during the preceding year. ###

(f)Termination The working group shall terminate on September 30, 2028. ## Subtitle C Studies, Briefings, Reports, and Other Matters