Restore Public Health Institution Trust Act of 2021
Bill: S.2536 | Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco (R-FL)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Restore Public Health Institution Trust Act of 2021
This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to report on public health messaging and other recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report must specifically address (1) the data used to make recommendations, (2) the effect of inconsistent messaging on the public's trust in the CDC and willingness to follow its vaccine and other COVID-19 guidance, and (3) the degree to which outside entities influenced CDC recommendations.

To require the Government Accountability Office to submit a report on 
the public health mitigation messaging and guidance of the Centers for 
                    Disease Control and Prevention.

    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 ``Restore Public Health Institution 
Trust Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. REPORT ON CDC PUBLIC HEALTH MITIGATION MESSAGING AND GUIDANCE.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Government Accountability Office shall 
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the public 
health mitigation messaging, decision making, and guidance of the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (referred to in this section 
as the ``CDC''). Such report shall--
            (1) consider--
                    (A) the data being used by the CDC to make 
                recommendations;
                    (B) the impact that inconsistent messaging has had 
                on--
                            (i) the level of trust Americans have in 
                        the CDC; and
                            (ii) the willingness of Americans to follow 
                        CDC guidance, including with respect to COVID-
                        19 vaccine uptake; and
                    (C) the degree to which outside entities (such as 
                teachers unions) were in a position to impact 
                recommendations made by the CDC; and
            (2) contain recommendations to improve the approach of the 
        CDC relating to messaging, decision making, and the issuance of 
        guidance in the future.
    (b) Definition.--In this section, the term ``appropriate committees 
of Congress'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
        of the Senate;
            (2) the Committee on Small Business of the Senate;
            (3) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
            (4) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
        of the Senate;
            (5) the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
        Representatives;
            (6) the Committee on Small Business of the House of 
        Representatives;
            (7) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
        Representatives; and
            (8) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
        Representatives.
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