(1) it is crucial to understand the vulnerabilities 
to the national security of the United States re-
vealed by the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID–19) 
pandemic, especially how prepared the United States 
would be in the future for a biological attack that 
not only causes public health confusion and alarm 
but also public fear similar to the level caused by a 
terrorist attack; 
(2) the purpose of establishing the commission 
under section 2 is not just to look back at prior 
practices and mistakes but to learn lessons as quick-
ly as possible to better protect the United States 
going forward in the future; 
(3) it is crucial to better understand the in-
creasing likelihood of pandemic threats (such as the 
recent threats of severe acute respiratory syndrome 
(SARS), Ebola, the 2009–H1N1 influenza, and 
COVID–19) and health issues that the United 
States could face during the next several decades; 
and 
(4) the commission established under section 2 
should use the authority under subsection (j)(1) of 
such section to provide the President, Congress, and 
the public interim reports during the course of the 
investigation. 
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SEC. 2. COMMISSION ON THE COVID–19 PANDEMIC IN THE 
UNITED STATES. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.—There is es-
tablished in the legislative branch the National Commis-
sion on the COVID–19 Pandemic in the United States (in 
this section referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the Commission are 
to— 
(1) examine and report upon the facts and cir-
cumstances relating to, and make a full and com-
plete assessment and accounting of, the outbreak 
and spread of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID–19) 
caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome 
coronavirus 2 (SARS–CoV–2) in the United States 
(in this section referred to as ‘‘COVID–19’’); 
(2) ascertain, evaluate, and report on the evi-
dence developed by any relevant governmental and 
nongovernmental entities regarding the facts and 
circumstances surrounding COVID–19; 
(3) make a full and complete assessment and 
accounting of the preparedness of the Federal Gov-
ernment, State governments, local governments, and 
the private sector for the outbreak and spread of 
COVID–19 in the United States; 
(4) make a full and complete assessment and 
accounting of the actions by the Federal Govern-
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ment, State governments, local governments, and the 
private sector in response to the outbreak and 
spread of COVID–19 in the United States; and 
(5) investigate and report to the President, 
Congress, and the public on its findings, conclusions, 
and recommendations to improve the ability of the 
United States to prepare for, detect, prevent, and, if 
necessary, respond to epidemics and pandemics such 
as COVID–19, whether naturally occurring or 
caused by State or non-State actors. 
(c) COMPOSITION OF COMMISSION.— 
(1) MEMBERS.—The Commission shall be com-
posed of 10 members, of whom— 
(A) 1 member shall be appointed by the 
President, who shall serve as chair of the Com-
mission; 
(B) 1 member shall be appointed by the 
leaders of the Senate (majority or minority 
leader, as the case may be) of the political 
party that is not the same political party as the 
President, in consultation with the leader of the 
House of Representatives (majority or minority 
leader, as the case may be) of the same political 
party as such Senate leaders, who shall serve as 
vice chair of the Commission; 
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(C) 2 members shall be appointed by the 
senior member of the Senate leadership of the 
Democratic Party; 
(D) 2 members shall be appointed by the 
senior member of the leadership of the House 
of Representatives of the Republican Party; 
(E) 2 members shall be appointed by the 
senior member of the Senate leadership of the 
Republican Party; and 
(F) 2 members shall be appointed by the 
senior member of the leadership of the House 
of Representatives of the Democratic Party. 
(2) QUALIFICATIONS; INITIAL MEETING.— 
(A) POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION.—Not 
more than 5 members of the Commission shall 
be from the same political party. 
(B) NONGOVERNMENTAL
APPOINTEES.— 
An individual appointed to the Commission may 
not be an officer or employee of the Federal 
Government or any State or local government. 
(C) QUALIFICATIONS.—It is the sense of 
Congress that individuals appointed to the 
Commission should be prominent United States 
citizens, with national recognition and signifi-
cant depth of experience in such professions as 
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public health, medicine (including epidemi-
ology), governmental service, academia, home-
land security, the armed services, emergency 
preparedness and management, law, public ad-
ministration, and intelligence. 
(D) DEADLINE
FOR
APPOINTMENT.—All 
members of the Commission shall be appointed 
during the period beginning January 21, 2021, 
and ending February 5, 2021. 
(E) INITIAL MEETING.—The Commission 
shall meet and begin the operations of the Com-
mission as soon as practicable, but not later 
than March 5, 2021. 
(3) QUORUM; 
VACANCIES.—After its initial 
meeting, the Commission shall meet upon the call of 
the chair or a majority of its members. Six members 
of the Commission shall constitute a quorum. Any 
vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its pow-
ers, but shall be filled in the same manner in which 
the original appointment was made. 
(4) IN-PERSON
MEETINGS.—The members of 
the Commission shall conduct its meetings in person 
unless such in-person meetings would pose a health 
risk or significant practical challenges. 
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(d) FUNCTIONS OF COMMISSION.—The functions of 
the Commission are to— 
(1) conduct an investigation that— 
(A) addresses the matters specified in sub-
section (b); 
(B) investigates relevant facts and cir-
cumstances relating to the outbreak and spread 
of COVID–19 in the United States, and the re-
sponse to such outbreak and spread, including 
with respect to any relevant legislation, Execu-
tive order, regulation, plan, policy, practice, or 
procedure; and 
(C) may include relevant facts and cir-
cumstances relating to— 
(i) Federal, State, and local authori-
ties with responsibilities relevant to the 
outbreak and spread of COVID–19 in the 
United States, including such authorities 
with responsibilities relating to public 
health, emergency management, and epi-
demic and pandemic preparedness and re-
sponse; 
(ii) private sector organizations; 
(iii) intelligence agencies and law en-
forcement agencies; 
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