I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 791 
To improve activities for the gathering of data on, and the tracking of, 
new variants of COVID–19. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 4, 2021 
Mr. BERA (for himself, Mr. PETERS, Ms. LEE of California, Ms. NORTON, Mr. 
O’HALLERAN, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. COHEN, Mr. CARSON, Ms. SE-
WELL, Mr. COOPER, Mr. JONES, and Ms. SCHRIER) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce 
A BILL 
To improve activities for the gathering of data on, and the 
tracking of, new variants of COVID–19. 
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 ‘‘Tracking COVID–19 
Variants Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
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(1) new variants of SARS–CoV–2 are being 
identified around the world and in the United 
States; 
(2) identifying new variants of SARS–CoV–2 
and analyzing the epidemiology of variants are crit-
ical to the continued response to the COVID–19 
pandemic and efforts to prepare for future 
pandemics; 
(3) national sequence-based surveillance will en-
able the United States to best identify new variants; 
and 
(4) the United States is conducting sequence- 
based surveillance of approximately 0.3 percent of 
COVID–19 cases, lagging far behind other nations. 
SEC. 3. GUIDANCE. 
The Secretary of Health and Human Services (re-
ferred to in this Act as the ‘‘Secretary’’), acting through 
the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention, shall issue national guidance to support scientific 
collaboration relating to viral sequencing as a key strategy 
to the COVID–19 response activities of the United States, 
including guidance related to the sharing of specimens ob-
tained from patients, the secure sharing of information 
about such specimens necessary for an effective public 
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health response to COVID–19, and the appropriate use 
of viral sequence data derived from such specimens. 
SEC. 4. FUNDING FOR GENOMIC SEQUENCING, ANALYTICS, 
AND DISEASE SURVEILLANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through the 
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-
tion, shall establish and implement a program to strength-
en and expand activities related to genomic sequencing, 
analytics, and disease surveillance. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—In implementing the program 
under subsection (a), the Secretary, acting through the 
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-
tion, shall— 
(1) conduct and expand activities, including 
supporting the Advanced Molecular Detection Pro-
gram, to sequence the genome of circulating strains 
of the SARS–CoV–2 virus, to identify mutations in 
the SARS–CoV–2 virus, and to survey the circula-
tion and transmission of variant strains of the 
SARS–CoV–2 virus; 
(2) provide technical assistance and guidance 
and award grants or cooperative agreements to 
State, local, Trial, or territorial public health depart-
ments to increase the capacity of such departments 
to sequence the genome of circulating strains of the 
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SARS–CoV–2 virus, to identify mutations in the 
SARS–CoV–2 virus, to use genomic sequencing to 
identify outbreaks and clusters of COVID–19 infec-
tions caused by specific variants of SARS–CoV–2, 
and to develop effective COVID–19 response strate-
gies based on genetic sequencing and surveillance 
data; and 
(3) carry out activities to both enhance the 
informatics capabilities of the public health work-
force and expand the numbers of qualified public 
health informaticians available to analyze and inter-
pret data produced through advanced molecular de-
tection and genomic sequencing to establish, expand, 
or enhance capacity for conducting statistical public 
health research. 
(c) IMPLEMENTATION.— 
(1) COOPERATIVE
AGREEMENTS
FOR
TECH-
NICAL
ASSISTANCE.—Cooperative agreements de-
scribed in subsection (b)(2) may include partner-
ships with academic research institutions. 
(2) CAPACITY FOR SHARING AND LINKING.— 
The capacity referred to in subsection (b)(3) may in-
clude sharing and linking information and accessing 
and utilizing linked health data files in accordance 
with established data use agreements with data hold-
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ers (including electronic case reporting, electronic 
health records, and electronic test orders and re-
sults) with public health agencies and related sys-
tems, including the National Death Index, immuni-
zation information systems, syndromic surveillance 
systems, laboratory information management sys-
tems, electronic case reporting systems, medical ex-
aminer case management systems, and Patient Uni-
fied Look-up Systems for Emergencies. 
(d) FACILITIES.—Funds appropriated under sub-
section (f) may be used for grants for the construction, 
alteration, or renovation of non-federally owned facilities 
to improve genetic sequencing and surveillance capabilities 
at the State and local level. 
(e) EXPANSION
OF ONGOING ACTIVITIES.—Funds 
appropriated under subsection (f) may be used for grants 
for the maintenance and expansion of current and ongoing 
activities to analyze and interpret data produced through 
advanced molecular detection and genomic sequencing, in-
cluding for emerging public health threats. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated, $2,000,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2021 to carry out this section, to remain available 
until expended. 
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SEC. 5. EVIDENCE-BUILDING DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through the 
Director of the National Center for Health Statistics, shall 
carry out a demonstration program to expand the data 
linkage program of the Department of Health and Human 
Services, consisting of Federal statistical and pro-
grammatic datasets from specified Federal entities, as au-
thorized by subchapter III of chapter 35 of title 44, 
United States Code, for the purpose of facilitating statis-
tical public health research on trends and patterns across 
specifically defined, statistically relevant populations, with 
a particular focus on linking social determinants of health 
data, including with respect to— 
(1) food insecurity; 
(2) housing instability; 
(3) transportation access; 
(4) safety; 
(5) social connection and isolation; 
(6) financial resource strain; 
(7) stress; 
(8) race and ethnicity; and 
(9) sexual orientation and gender identity. 
(b) ACTIVITIES.—Activities carried out under the 
demonstration program under this section shall include— 
(1) assessing the availability of identified and 
de-identified data sets held by Federal, State, local, 
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and non-Federal entities that may be useful for re-
search described in subsection (a); and 
(2) using existing authorities and linkages of 
data in accordance with subchapter III of chapter 35 
of title 44, United States Code, when relevant to re-
quest the submission of datasets to the National 
Center for Health Statistics for linking. 
(c) LIMITATION.—The Secretary shall limit access to 
data under the demonstration program under this sec-
tion— 
(1) to Federal statistical agencies and qualified 
public and private researchers, as determined by the 
Director of the National Center for Health Statis-
tics; 
(2) for a period to be specified by the Sec-
retary; and 
(3) exclusively for the purpose described in sub-
section (a). 
(d) PROCESS FOR MAKING DATA AVAILABLE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Consistent with paragraph 
(2), the Secretary shall establish a rigorous process 
for making data available and usable under the dem-
onstration program under this section. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—Prior to making any 
data available under the demonstration program 
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data through the program, including areas of 
potential research. 
(f) WEBSITE.—The Secretary shall maintain a pub-
licly accessible website— 
(1) providing information about demonstration 
program under this section; 
(2) facilitating stakeholder participation in such 
demonstration program; 
(3) facilitating oversight of such demonstration 
program; 
(4) providing lists of datasets from Federal and 
non-Federal entities; 
(5) providing lists of identified and de-identified 
datasets; 
(6) identifying linked datasets; 
(7) delineating a process to protect privacy and 
confidentiality; 
(8) identifying sources of the datasets; and 
(9) delineating categories of personal data. 
(g) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.—The demonstration 
program under this section shall be designed to— 
(1) support data matching services for agencies 
and researchers using the National Death Index; 
and 
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(2) facilitate collaboration with States and pri-
vate entities to examine, update, and modernize the 
fee structure of the National Death Index to support 
a broad range of data queries. 
(h) CONTRACTED ENTITIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of 
appropriations, the Secretary may enter into con-
tracts with eligible entities, as appropriate, for infra-
structure and support services in carrying out the 
demonstration program under this section. 
(2) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible for a contract 
under paragraph (1), an entity shall— 
(A) demonstrate core capabilities for data 
sharing, data linkage, and compliance with sub-
chapter III of chapter 35 of title 44, United 
States Code; and 
(B) adhere to security standards in accord-
ance with the Federal Risk and Authorization 
Management Program (or any successor pro-
gram). 
(i) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed to authorize the availability or use 
of data for— 
(1) law enforcement; or 
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(2) any determination of the eligibility of an in-
dividual for any direct or indirect payment, benefit, 
or service. 
(j) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually 
thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Con-
gress on the implementation of this section, including— 
(1) identification of best State practices for— 
(A) sharing data with, and reporting data 
to, the National Death Index; and 
(B) ensuring the quality of such data; and 
(2) recommendations to improve— 
(A) such sharing and reporting; and 
(B) access to the National Death Index by 
researchers. 
(k) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, 
$10,000,000 for fiscal year 2021, to remain available until 
expended. 
Æ 
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