Tracking Pathogens Act
Bill: H.R.7152 | Sponsor: Rep. Bera, Ami (D-CA)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Tracking Pathogens Act
This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to take specified actions related to the genomic sequencing of pathogens.
Specifically, the CDC must issue guidance on sharing specimens and other activities to support collaboration in the genomic sequencing of pathogens.
The CDC must also strengthen and expand activities related to the use of genomic sequencing of pathogens in public health surveillance, including by providing technical assistance to health departments. The CDC may award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to academic and other laboratories related to these activities.
In addition, the CDC must establish through public health agencies (or partnerships of such agencies) centers of excellence to promote innovation in pathogen genomics and molecular epidemiology.

To strengthen and expand activities related to genomic sequencing of 
                   pathogens, 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 ``Tracking Pathogens Act''.

SEC. 2. GENOMIC SEQUENCING.

    (a) Guidance Supporting Genomic Sequencing of Pathogens 
Collaboration.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to 
in this section as the ``Secretary''), acting through the Director of 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and in consultation with 
the heads of other agencies and departments, as appropriate, shall 
issue guidance to support collaboration relating to genomic sequencing 
of pathogens, including the use of new and innovative approaches and 
technology for the detection, characterization, and sequencing of 
pathogens, to improve public health surveillance and preparedness and 
response activities, consistent with section 2824 of the Public Health 
Service Act, as added by subsection (b). Such guidance shall address 
the sharing, for public health surveillance purposes, of specimens of 
such pathogens, between appropriate entities and public health 
authorities pursuant to the regulations promulgated under section 
264(c) of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 
1996 (42 U.S.C. 1320d-2 note), in a manner that protects personal 
privacy to the extent required by applicable Federal and State privacy 
law, at a minimum, and the appropriate use of sequence data derived 
from such specimens.
    (b) Genomic Sequencing Program.--Title XXVIII of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300hh et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following:

``SEC. 2824. GENOMIC SEQUENCING, ANALYTICS, AND PUBLIC HEALTH 
              SURVEILLANCE OF PATHOGENS PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Genomic Sequencing, Analytics, and Public Health Surveillance 
of Pathogens Program.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and in consultation with 
the Director of the National Institutes of Health and heads of other 
departments and agencies, as appropriate, shall strengthen and expand 
activities related to genomic sequencing of pathogens, including new 
and innovative approaches and technology for the detection, 
characterization, and sequencing of pathogens, analytics, and public 
health surveillance, including--
            ``(1) continuing and expanding activities, which may 
        include existing genomic sequencing activities related to 
        advanced molecular detection, to--
                    ``(A) identify and respond to emerging infectious 
                disease threats; and
                    ``(B) identify the potential use of genomic 
                sequencing technologies, advanced computing, and other 
                advanced technology, including strategies for 
                environmental sampling, to inform surveillance 
                activities and incorporate the use of such 
                technologies, as appropriate, into related activities;
            ``(2) providing technical assistance and guidance to State, 
        Tribal, local, and territorial public health departments to 
        increase the capacity of such departments to perform genomic 
        sequencing of pathogens, including recipients of funding under 
        section 2821;
            ``(3) carrying out activities to enhance the capabilities 
        of the public health workforce with respect to pathogen 
        genomics, epidemiology, and bioinformatics, including through 
        training; and
            ``(4) continuing and expanding activities, as applicable, 
        with public and private entities, including relevant 
        departments and agencies, laboratories, academic institutions, 
        and industry.
    ``(b) Partnerships.--For the purposes of carrying out the 
activities described in subsection (a), the Secretary, acting through 
the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may 
award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to academic and 
other laboratories with expertise in genomic sequencing for public 
health purposes, including new and innovative approaches to, and 
related technology for, the detection, characterization, and sequencing 
of pathogens.
    ``(c) Centers of Excellence.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
        shall, as appropriate, award grants, contracts, or cooperative 
        agreements to public health agencies or public health agency 
        partnerships for the establishment or operation of centers of 
        excellence to promote innovation in pathogen genomics and 
        molecular epidemiology to improve the control of and response 
        to pathogens that may cause a public health emergency. Such 
        centers shall, as appropriate--
                    ``(A) identify and evaluate the use of genomics, or 
                other related technologies that may advance public 
                health preparedness and response;
                    ``(B) improve the identification, development, and 
                use of tools for integrating and analyzing genomic and 
                epidemiologic data;
                    ``(C) assist with genomic surveillance of, and 
                response to, infectious diseases, including analysis of 
                pathogen genomic data;
                    ``(D) conduct applied research to improve public 
                health surveillance of, and response to, infectious 
                diseases through innovation in pathogen genomics and 
                molecular epidemiology;
                    ``(E) develop and provide training materials for 
                experts in the fields of genomics, microbiology, 
                bioinformatics, epidemiology, and other fields, as 
                appropriate; and
                    ``(F) conduct workforce development through 
                advanced training in academic laboratories.
            ``(2) Requirements.--To be eligible for an award under 
        paragraph (1), an entity shall submit to the Secretary an 
        application containing such information as the Secretary may 
        require, including a description of how the entity will 
        partner, as applicable, with academic institutions or a 
        consortium of academic partners that have relevant expertise, 
        such as microbial genomics, molecular epidemiology, or the 
        application of bioinformatics or statistics.
    ``(d) Authorization.--For purposes of carrying out this section, 
there are authorized to be appropriated $175,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2023 through 2027.''.
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