I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6440 
To establish the National Commission on the COVID–19 Pandemic. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 3, 2020 
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois (for himself, Mr. TRONE, Mr. VAN DREW, Mr. 
UPTON, Mr. KING of New York, Mr. FORTENBERRY, Mr. WILSON of 
South Carolina, Mr. SIMPSON, Mr. YOUNG, Mr. LUCAS, Mr. JOYCE of 
Ohio, Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota, and Mr. MOOLENAAR) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce 
A BILL 
To establish the National Commission on the COVID–19 
Pandemic. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Pandemic Rapid Re-
sponse Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 
There is established in the legislative branch the Na-
tional Commission on the COVID–19 Pandemic (in this 
Act referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 
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SEC. 3. MEMBERSHIP. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall be com-
posed of 10 members as follows: 
(1) One member, who shall serve as the Chair 
of the Commission, shall be appointed by the Speak-
er of the House of Representatives in consultation 
with the majority leader of the Senate and the mi-
nority leader of the House. 
(2) One member, who shall serve as Vice Chair 
of the Commission, shall be appointed by the major-
ity leader of the Senate in consultation with the 
Speaker and the minority leader of the Senate. 
(3) Two members shall be appointed by the ma-
jority leader of the Senate. 
(4) Two members shall be appointed by the mi-
nority leader of the Senate. 
(5) Two members shall be appointed by the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
(6) One member shall be appointed by the mi-
nority leader of the House of Representatives. 
(7) One member shall be appointed by the 
President. 
(b) QUALIFICATIONS; INITIAL MEETING.— 
(1) POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION.—Not more 
than 5 members of the Commission shall be from 
the same political party. 
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(2) NONGOVERNMENTAL APPOINTEES.—An in-
dividual appointed to the Commission may not be an 
officer or employee of the Federal Government or 
any State or local government. 
(3) OTHER QUALIFICATIONS.—It is the sense of 
Congress that individuals appointed to the Commis-
sion should be prominent citizens of the United 
States, with national recognition and significant 
depth of experience in such professions as govern-
mental service, biological science, and higher edu-
cation, and that members should include individuals 
with expertise in the medical community, including 
hospital experts and administrators. 
(4) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—All mem-
bers of the Commission shall be appointed on or be-
fore December 15, 2020. 
(5) INITIAL MEETING.—The Commission shall 
hold its initial meeting and begin to carry out its du-
ties as soon as practicable after the appointment of 
its members. 
(c) 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 Commis-
sion shall constitute a quorum. Any vacancy in the Com-
mission shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled in 
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the same manner in which the original appointment was 
made. 
(d) COMPENSATION.—Each member of the Commis-
sion may be compensated at not to exceed the daily equiva-
lent of the annual rate of basic pay in effect for a position 
at level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 
of title 5, United States Code, for each day during which 
that member is engaged in the actual performance of the 
duties of the Commission. 
(e) ESTABLISHMENT
OF SUBCOMMITTEES.—With 
the approval of a majority of its members, the Commission 
may establish and assign duties to a subcommittee within 
the Commission. 
SEC. 4. DUTIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The duties of the Commission are 
to— 
(1) conduct an investigation on the relevant 
facts and circumstances relating to the COVID–19 
pandemic; 
(2) compile a comprehensive national plan to 
respond to future global and national viral outbreaks 
and medical emergencies in light of the COVID–19 
pandemic; 
(3) ascertain, evaluate, and report on the evi-
dence developed by all relevant governmental agen-
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cies regarding the facts and circumstances sur-
rounding the COVID–19 pandemic, including the 
cause and location of the original virus outbreak as 
well as the documented testing shortages and testing 
failures associated with the virus; 
(4) make a full and complete accounting of the 
circumstances surrounding the pandemic, and the 
extent of the Nation’s preparedness for, and imme-
diate response to, the pandemic; 
(5) examine the preparedness and adequacy of 
the Strategic National Stockpile of medical equip-
ment, and develop and make recommendations for 
implementing a national plan in partnership with 
Federal, State, and local governments and private 
industry to adequately respond in the event of a fu-
ture global or national pandemic; 
(6) identify, review, and evaluate the lessons 
learned from the COVID–19 pandemic regarding the 
structure, coordination, management policies, and 
procedures of the Federal Government, and, if ap-
propriate, State and local governments and non-
governmental entities, with respect to detecting, pre-
venting, and responding to the spread of infectious 
disease; and 
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(7) submit to the President and Congress such 
reports as are required by this Act on its findings, 
conclusions, and recommendations for corrective 
measures that can be taken to prevent a similar out-
break from occurring in the future, including appro-
priate organization, coordination, planning, manage-
ment arrangements, procedures, rules, and regula-
tions. 
(b) AVOIDING
UNNECESSARY
DUPLICATION
OF 
WORK.—In carrying out its duties, the Commission shall 
avoid unnecessary duplication of work by— 
(1) building upon and reviewing the findings, 
conclusions, and recommendations resulting from in-
vestigations of the COVID–19 pandemic by other 
government entities, including— 
(A) investigations made by the Govern-
ment Accountability Office under the Coronavi-
rus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act; 
(B) investigations made by committees of 
Congress with jurisdiction over issues relating 
to the pandemic; and 
(C) investigations made by other executive 
branch offices, including independent commis-
sions; 
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(2) including in its reports relevant facts and 
circumstances relating to any reports or investiga-
tions that have already been conducted by Federal 
agencies such as the Department of Health and 
Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, 
and any other Federal agencies that may have com-
piled relevant information on the pandemic; and 
(3) giving priority to pursuing areas of inquiry 
on the pandemic that the Commission determines 
are based on newly available information or that oth-
erwise have not yet been investigated by the relevant 
Federal agencies and committees of Congress. 
SEC. 5. POWERS OF COMMISSION. 
(a) HEARINGS
AND EVIDENCE.—The Commission 
may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hear-
ings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and 
receive evidence as the Commission considers appropriate. 
The Commission may administer oaths or affirmations to 
witnesses appearing before it. 
(b) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission is author-
ized to secure directly from any department, agency, 
or office of the United States such information as 
the Commission determines to be necessary to carry 
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out this Act. The head of each such department, 
agency, or office shall furnish such information to 
the Commission upon request made by the chair of 
the Commission, the chair of any subcommittee es-
tablished by the Commission, or any member des-
ignated to by a majority of the Commission to re-
ceive such information. 
(2) TREATMENT OF INFORMATION RECEIVED.— 
Any information obtained by the Commission under 
this subsection shall be received, handled, stored, 
and disseminated by members of the Commission 
and its staff consistent with all applicable statutes, 
regulations, and Executive orders. 
(c) ASSISTANCE FROM OTHER SOURCES.— 
(1) GENERAL
SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION.— 
The Administrator of General Services shall provide 
to the Commission on a reimbursable basis adminis-
trative support and other services for the perform-
ance of the Commission’s duties. 
(2) OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES.—In 
addition to the assistance prescribed in paragraph 
(1), departments and agencies of the United States 
may provide to the Commission such services, funds, 
facilities, staff, and other support services as they 
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may determine advisable and as may be authorized 
by law. 
(3) CONSULTATION
WITH
OTHER
ORGANIZA-
TIONS.—In addition to assistance from Federal 
agencies, departments, and congressional committees 
of jurisdiction, the Commission shall consult the 
World Health Organization and other global health 
experts outside the United States. 
(d) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF HEARINGS AND RE-
PORTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—To the extent appropriate, 
the Commission shall— 
(A) hold public hearings and meetings; and 
(B) release public versions of its reports. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS.— 
Any public hearings of the Commission shall be con-
ducted in a manner consistent with the protection of 
information provided to or developed for or by the 
Commission as required by any applicable statute, 
regulation, or Executive order. 
(e) APPLICATION
OF CONGRESSIONAL ACCOUNT-
ABILITY ACT OF 1995.—For purposes of the Congres-
sional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1301 et 
seq.)— 
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(1) the Commission shall be considered an em-
ploying office; and 
(2) the employees of the Commission shall be 
considered covered employees. 
SEC. 6. STAFF OF COMMISSION. 
(a) AUTHORIZING APPOINTMENT OF STAFF.—The 
Chair of the Commission, in consultation with the Vice 
Chair of the Commission and in accordance with rules 
adopted by the Commission, may appoint and fix the com-
pensation of a staff director and such other personnel as 
may be necessary to enable the Commission to carry out 
its duties. 
(b) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—Subject to rules 
prescribed by the Commission, the Commission may pro-
cure temporary and intermittent services under section 
3109(b) of title 5, United States Code. 
(c) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon request 
of the Commission, the head of any Federal department 
or agency may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the 
personnel of that department or agency to the Commission 
to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act. 
SEC. 7. REPORTS; TERMINATION. 
(a) REPORTS.— 
(1) INTERIM REPORTS.—The Commission may 
submit to the President and Congress interim re-
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ports containing such findings, conclusions, and rec-
ommendations for corrective measures as have been 
agreed to by a majority of Commission members. 
(2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 18 months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Commission shall submit to the President and Con-
gress a final report containing such findings, conclu-
sions, and recommendations for corrective measures 
as have been agreed to by a majority of Commission 
members. 
(b) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate 
60 days after the date on which the final report is sub-
mitted under this section. 
SEC. 8. FUNDING. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Com-
mission such sums as may be necessary for the Commis-
sion to carry out its duties under this Act, of which— 
(1) 50 percent shall be derived from the contin-
gent fund of the Senate; and 
(2) 50 percent shall be derived from the appli-
cable accounts of the House of Representatives. 
Æ 
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