I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8010 

To amend the Public Health Service Act to clarify that the Secretary of 

Health and Human Services shall lead all Federal public health and 

medical response to emergencies and disasters declared by the President 

pursuant to the National Emergencies Act or the Robert T. Stafford 

Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AUGUST 11, 2020 

Mr. HUDSON (for himself, Mr. TONKO, Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana, and Ms. 

ESHOO) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on 

Transportation and Infrastructure, and Homeland Security, 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 amend the Public Health Service Act to clarify that 

the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall lead 

all Federal public health and medical response to emergencies and disasters declared by the President pursuant 

to the National Emergencies Act or the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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•HR 8010 IH

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Health Emergencies 

3 Are Literally Tenets of HHS Act of 2020’’ or the 

4 ‘‘HEALTH Act of 2020’’. 

5 SEC. 2. LEAD AGENCY FOR FEDERAL PUBLIC HEALTH AND 

6 MEDICAL RESPONSE TO PUBLIC HEALTH 

7 EMERGENCIES. 

8 Section 2801 of the Public Health Service Act (42 

9 U.S.C. 300hh) is amended— 

10 (1) in subsection (a), by inserting after ‘‘shall 

11 lead all Federal public health and medical response 

12 to public health emergencies and incidents’’ the fol13 lowing: ‘‘(including emergencies and disasters de14 clared by the President pursuant to the National 

15 Emergencies Act or the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 

16 Relief and Emergency Assistance Act)’’; and 

17 (2) in subsection (b), by inserting after ‘‘shall 

18 assume operational control of emergency public 

19 health and medical response assets, as necessary, in 

20 the event of a public health emergency’’ the fol21 lowing: ‘‘or in the event of an emergency or disaster 

22 declared by the President under the National Emer23 gencies Act or the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Re24 lief and Emergency Assistance Act’’. 


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•HR 8010 IH

1 SEC. 3. DEPLOYMENT BY THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND 

2 HUMAN SERVICES OF NATIONAL STRATEGIC 

3 STOCKPILE. 

4 Section 319F–2(a)(3)(F) of the Public Health Serv5 ice Act (42 U.S.C. 247d–6b(a)(3)(F)) is amended by 

6 striking ‘‘as required by’’ and inserting ‘‘in consultation 

7 with’’. 

8 SEC. 4. AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FED9 ERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY 

10 REGARDING THE STRATEGIC NATIONAL 

11 STOCKPILE. 

12 The Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended— 

13 (1) in subparagraph (A) of section 503(b)(2) (6 

14 U.S.C. 313(b)(2)), by inserting ‘‘, in coordination 

15 with relevant Federal agencies,’’ after ‘‘lead’’; and 

16 (2) in subparagraph (D) of section 504(a)(3) (6 

17 U.S.C. 314(a)(3)), by striking ‘‘requiring’’ and in18 serting ‘‘, at the direction of the Secretary of Health 

19 and Human Services, assisting in’’. 

Æ 


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