DHS Medical Countermeasures Act
Bill: H.R.3263 | Sponsor: Rep. Miller-Meeks, Mariannette (R-IA)
Policy area: Emergency Management

Summary:
DHS Medical Countermeasures Act
This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a medical countermeasures program to facilitate personnel readiness and protection for DHS employees and working animals in the event of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosives attack, naturally occurring disease outbreak, or pandemic, and to support DHS mission continuity.
The Chief Medical Officer of DHS shall (1) provide programmatic oversight of the program, (2) establish a medical countermeasures working group, and (3) develop and submit to DHS an integrated logistics support plan for medical countermeasures.

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish in the 
Department of Homeland Security a medical countermeasures program, and 
                          for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``DHS Medical Countermeasures Act''.

SEC. 2. MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Subtitle C of title XIX of the Homeland Security 
Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 311 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section:

``SEC. 1932. MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a medical 
countermeasures program to facilitate personnel readiness, and 
protection for the Department's employees and working animals in the 
event of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosives 
attack, naturally occurring disease outbreak, or pandemic, and to 
support Department mission continuity.
    ``(b) Oversight.--The Chief Medical Officer of the Department shall 
provide programmatic oversight of the medical countermeasures program 
established pursuant to subsection (a), and shall--
            ``(1) develop Department-wide standards for medical 
        countermeasure storage, security, dispensing, and 
        documentation;
            ``(2) maintain a stockpile of medical countermeasures, 
        including antibiotics, antivirals, and radiological 
        countermeasures, as appropriate;
            ``(3) preposition appropriate medical countermeasures in 
        strategic locations nationwide, based on threat and employee 
        density, in accordance with applicable Federal statutes and 
        regulations;
            ``(4) provide oversight and guidance regarding the 
        dispensing of stockpiled medical countermeasures;
            ``(5) ensure rapid deployment and dispensing of medical 
        countermeasures in a chemical, biological, radiological, 
        nuclear, or explosives attack, naturally occurring disease 
        outbreak, or pandemic;
            ``(6) provide training to Department employees on medical 
        countermeasure dispensing; and
            ``(7) support dispensing exercises.
    ``(c) Medical Countermeasures Working Group.--The Chief Medical 
Officer shall establish a medical countermeasures working group 
comprised of representatives from appropriate components and offices of 
the Department to ensure that medical countermeasures standards are 
maintained and guidance is consistent.
    ``(d) Medical Countermeasures Management.--Not later than 120 days 
after the date of the enactment of this section, the Chief Medical 
Officer shall develop and submit to the Secretary an integrated 
logistics support plan for medical countermeasures, including--
            ``(1) a methodology for determining the ideal types and 
        quantities of medical countermeasures to stockpile and how 
        frequently such methodology shall be reevaluated;
            ``(2) a replenishment plan; and
            ``(3) inventory tracking, reporting, and reconciliation 
        procedures for existing stockpiles and new medical 
        countermeasure purchases.
    ``(e) Stockpile Elements.--In determining the types and quantities 
of medical countermeasures to stockpile under subsection (d), the Chief 
Medical Officer shall utilize, if available--
            ``(1) Department chemical, biological, radiological, and 
        nuclear risk assessments; and
            ``(2) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance 
        on medical countermeasures.
    ``(f) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 
on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate the plan 
developed in accordance with subsection (d) and brief such Committees 
regarding implementing the requirements of this section.
    ``(g) Definition.--In this section, the term `medical 
countermeasures' means antibiotics, antivirals, radiological 
countermeasures, and other countermeasures that may be deployed to 
protect the Department's employees and working animals in the event of 
a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosives attack, 
naturally occurring disease outbreak, or pandemic.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of 
the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by adding after the item 
relating to section 1931 the following new item:

``Sec. 1932. Medical countermeasures.''.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 20, 2021.

            Attest:

                                             CHERYL L. JOHNSON,

                                                                 Clerk.