Improving Public Health Preparedness Act

To amend the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to delegate primary responsibility for maintaining the Strategic National Stockpile to the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Improving Public Health Preparedness Act 2. Transfer of full responsibility for administering the Strategic National Stockpile to ASPR (a) Transfer (1) In general Section 319F–2(a)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d–6b(a)(1)) is amended by striking The Secretary, in collaboration with the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, in coordination with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Secretary of Homeland Security (2) Conforming amendment Section 319F–2(a)(3)(E) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d–6b(a)(3)(E)) is amended by striking the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, (3) Pilot program to support State medical stockpiles Section 319F–2(i)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d–6b(i)(1)) is amended by striking The Secretary, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, in consultation with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (4) Transition The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall take such actions as may be necessary to ensure that, not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the amendments made by this subsection are fully implemented, including any necessary transfer of personnel and resources. (b) ASPR authorities (1) Additional coordination duty Section 2811(b)(4) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d–6b(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following: (K) Strategic National Stockpile Coordinate with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Secretary of Homeland Security regarding the maintenance and operation of, and procurement and contracting related to, the Strategic National Stockpile under section 319F–2. . (2) Additional responsibility (A) In general Section 2811(c)(2) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d–6b(c)(2)) is amended— (i) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) and (F) as subparagraphs (F) and (G), respectively; and (ii) by inserting after subaragraph (D) the following: (E) the Strategic National Stockpile pursuant to section 319F–2; . (B) Conforming change Section 2811(c)(3) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d–6b(c)(3)) is amended— (i) in subparagraph (A), by inserting and (ii) by striking subparagraph (B); and (iii) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (B).

Summary: Improving Public Health Preparedness Act This bill expressly transfers to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) the responsibility for administering the Strategic National Stockpile and related activities. (The Strategic National Stockpile consists of drugs, vaccines, medical products, and other supplies that may be deployed to respond to public health emergencies.) Current law requires the Department of Health and Human Services to administer the stockpile in collaboration with ASPR and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, ASPR assumed general responsibility for overseeing the stockpile in 2018.