I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 834 
To establish the National Commission on the COVID–19 Pandemic, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 4, 2021 
Mr. POSEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Finan-
cial Services, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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 con-
cerned 
A BILL 
To establish the National Commission on the COVID–19 
Pandemic, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Pandemics Require 
Evaluating, Planning, And Responding Effectively Act’’ or 
the ‘‘PREPARE Act’’. 
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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’’). 
SEC. 3. PURPOSES. 
The purposes of the Commission are to— 
(1) examine and report upon the facts and 
causes relating to the COVID–19 pandemic that re-
sulted from the global spread of the SARS–CoV–2 
virus, from Wuhan, China; 
(2) ascertain, evaluate, and report on the evi-
dence developed by all relevant governmental agen-
cies regarding the facts and circumstances sur-
rounding the pandemic and the emergence of SARS– 
CoV–2; 
(3) build upon the investigations of other enti-
ties, and avoid unnecessary duplication by critically 
reviewing 
the 
findings, 
conclusions, 
and 
rec-
ommendations of executive branch, congressional, or 
independent commission investigations into the 
COVID–19 pandemic while adopting only the find-
ings, conclusions, and recommendations of such in-
vestigations as the Commission shall find accurate 
and unbiased; 
(4) make a full and complete accounting of the 
circumstances surrounding the pandemic, and the 
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extent of the United States preparedness for, and 
immediate response to, the pandemic; and 
(5) investigate and report to the President and 
Congress on its findings, conclusions, and rec-
ommendations for corrective measures that can be 
taken to prevent, better prepare for, and respond to 
pandemics. 
SEC. 4. CONSIDERATIONS. 
In carrying out its duties in furtherance of the pur-
poses specified in section 2, the Commission shall consider 
the following: 
(1) Compiling a full and complete accounting of 
the circumstances surrounding the emergence of the 
2019 novel coronavirus, the Nation’s preparedness 
for the 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic, and the 
actions taken by Federal, State, local, Tribal, and 
territorial governments at critical junctures before 
and after the World Health Organization designated 
the 2019 novel coronavirus as a public health emer-
gency of international concern on January 30, 2020. 
(2) Evaluating the effectiveness of United 
States public health reconnaissance and intelligence 
in recognizing the COVID–19 pandemic at its source 
and effectively mobilizing the nation to meet the 
challenge of the pandemic. 
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(3) Identifying biological collaborations among 
government, private, nonprofit, not-for-profit enti-
ties, and other scientific communities, evaluating the 
manner in which such collaborations can increase 
the risk of accidental releases of harmful pathogens, 
and making recommendations that will decrease 
such risks. 
(4) Identifying the lead person or agency of the 
Federal Government responsible for conducting the 
reconnaissance and intelligence in (1) and evaluating 
the performance of this entity and the efficacy of the 
assignment of such lead to this entity. 
(5) Articulating the policy objectives of the 
Federal Government in preparing, responding to and 
recovering from a pandemic and the performance 
metrics and standards to evaluate contributions to 
the overall objectives as articulated. 
(6) Identifying the current agency of the Fed-
eral Government with the lead for pandemic pre-
paredness and response. 
(7) Evaluating the integration of the pandemic 
planning into the National Preparedness System and 
other preparedness activities throughout the Federal 
Government. 
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(8) Evaluating the performance of the Federal, 
State, and local governments in preparing for and 
responding to the COVID–19 declared emergency 
within the context of the National Preparedness Sys-
tem. 
(9) Assessment of the assignment of roles and 
responsibilities among Federal, State, and local gov-
ernments in preparing for, responding to and recov-
ering from the COVID–19 pandemic. 
(10) Evaluation of the performance of an all- 
hazard preparedness and response system in meeting 
the challenges of the COVID–19 emergency and 
whether actions should be taken to adapt prepared-
ness and response to unique circumstances related to 
pandemics. 
(11) Evaluating whether the identification of 
lead person or agency for pandemic preparedness is 
clear and effective and whether the lead for pan-
demic preparedness and response requires consolida-
tion or should be reassigned to an alternative agen-
cy. 
(12) Examining ways to improve integration 
and coordination of preparedness and responses to 
pandemics at all levels of government, Federal, 
State, and local. 
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(13) Evaluating the resilience of production re-
sponses to the COVID–19 crisis particularly those 
related medicines, medical equipment, protective 
equipment and other medical supplies and the role 
of the Federal and other governments in responding 
to supply chain needs for pandemics. 
(14) Identifying and evaluating the degree of 
reliance of the United States on vulnerable supply 
chains for medicines, medical equipment, protective 
equipment and other medical supplies necessary to 
prepare for and respond to a pandemic and all rea-
sonable 
alternatives 
for 
mitigating 
such 
vulnerabilities in future pandemics. 
(15) Evaluating the contribution of the Defense 
Production Act in the COVID–19 emergency and 
whether this law should be amended to improve pan-
demic preparedness and response. 
(16) Evaluating the National Stockpile in pre-
paring for and responding to pandemics, the per-
formance of the National Stockpile in responding to 
the COVID–19 emergency, and all reasonable alter-
natives improving the management and contribu-
tions of the Stockpile in preparing for and respond-
ing to future pandemics. 
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(17) Evaluating the role of the Federal Govern-
ment in developing and approving surveillance, test-
ing, treatments, therapeutics and vaccines for 
COVID–19 and all reasonable alternatives to im-
prove the development of therapeutics and vaccines 
in future pandemics. 
(18) Evaluating the Federal, State, and local 
response to the COVID–19 emergency related to en-
suring adequate national surge capacity infrastruc-
ture in hospitals and medical centers and alter-
natives for improving such preparedness and re-
sponse to ensure adequate capacity in future 
pandemics. 
(19) Identifying and evaluating the array of 
public health interventions at the Federal, State, 
and local levels, including mask orders, social 
distancing practices, stay-at-home directives, school 
and business closures, and other measures, imple-
mented in response to the COVID–19 emergency 
and evaluating all reasonable alternatives for im-
proving such public health responses in future 
pandemics with a due consideration of the economic 
and other public health costs and tradeoffs associ-
ated with such measures. 
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