Title: Expressing the sentiment of Congress that the Department of Health and Human Services should declare the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency.
Policy area: Health

Summary:
This resolution recommends that the Department of Health and Human Services declare a public health emergency to respond to the spread of monkeypox in countries, including the United States, where the disease is not endemic. (Monkeypox is a viral disease that is endemic to parts of Africa and causes symptoms similar to, but less severe than, smallpox.)

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1286 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1286

Expressing the sentiment of Congress that the Department of Health and 
 Human Services should declare the monkeypox outbreak a public health 
                               emergency.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 26, 2022

 Mr. Torres of New York (for himself, Mr. Nadler, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. 
Quigley, Ms. Velazquez, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Mr. Evans, 
 Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Tonko, Mr. Espaillat, Ms. Jacobs of California, Ms. 
  Meng, Ms. Strickland, Ms. Clarke of New York, Ms. Bass, Mrs. Watson 
Coleman, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Jones, and Mr. Bowman) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sentiment of Congress that the Department of Health and 
 Human Services should declare the monkeypox outbreak a public health 
                               emergency.

Whereas the Secretary of Health and Human Services may, under section 319 of the 
        Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d), determine that (1) a disease 
        or disorder presents a public health emergency or (2) a public health 
        emergency, including significant outbreaks of infectious disease or 
        bioterrorist attacks, otherwise exists, which allows the Secretary to 
        take certain discretionary actions in response to an acute threat to 
        public health;
Whereas these actions may include making grants, entering into contracts, 
        conducting and supporting investigations into the cause, treatment, or 
        prevention of the disease or disorder, providing supplies, equipment, 
        and services, and detailing employees of the Department of Health and 
        Human Services to the recipients of awards for carrying out activities 
        funded through their awards;
Whereas the Secretary of Health and Human Services may also use funds 
        appropriated to the Public Health Emergency Fund to immediately respond 
        to the public health emergency or potential public health emergency by 
        facilitating coordination among Federal, State, local, Tribal, and 
        territorial entities, and public and private health care entities, 
        making awards, supporting advanced research and development and 
        biosurveillance, supporting initial emergency operations related to 
        preparation and deployment of National Disaster Medical System teams, 
        and other actions determined appropriate and applicable by the 
        Secretary, and granting extensions or waiving sanctions relating to 
        submission of data or reports required under authority vested by law in 
        the Secretary, when the Secretary determines that as a result of the 
        public health emergency, individuals or public or private entities are 
        unable to comply with deadlines for such data or reports;
Whereas the World Health Organization has considered the monkeypox virus the 
        most important orthopoxvirus for public health since the eradication of 
        smallpox in 1980;
Whereas, since early May 2022, cases of monkeypox virus have been reported from 
        countries where the disease is not endemic, and most reported cases have 
        been identified thus far through sexual health or other health services 
        largely among the LGBTQ+ community;
Whereas the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a public health 
        emergency of international concern on July 24, 2022, and warned that the 
        virus could spread far beyond the LGBTQ+ community;
Whereas the World Health Organization has designated only two other diseases, 
        COVID-19 and polio, as public health emergencies of international 
        concern;
Whereas the United States has reported approximately 3,000 cases of monkeypox as 
        of July 25, 2022, a rate tenfold higher than case reports only one month 
        prior, which demonstrates a rapidly evolving public health threat, and 
        when there is an infectious disease outbreak, the Federal Government is 
        obligated to make vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics immediately 
        and widely available;
Whereas though the Federal Government had the resources available to curb the 
        spread of monkeypox, including millions of vaccine doses stockpiled, its 
        delays in approving distribution of both tests and vaccines allowed this 
        virus to entrench itself as a rapidly spreading rare disease;
Whereas the monkeypox virus, a highly containable disease, has now spread 
        uncontrollably for two months and become uncontainable, with a clear 
        risk of further national and international spread;
Whereas with the rapid and often underreported spread of infectious diseases 
        like COVID-19 and monkeypox, the Nation's public health infrastructure 
        has been proven tenuous;
Whereas as the Nation grapples with the radical restructuring of life in the 
        wake of COVID-19, we must now ensure that public health agencies like 
        the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease 
        Control and Prevention, and the Food and Drug Administration are 
        vigilant in preparing the Nation for a worst case scenario;
Whereas the acute threat monkeypox poses to LGBTQ+ individuals and other 
        vulnerable populations must be treated with the seriousness and urgency 
        it deserves; and
Whereas it is critical that the United States deploy all necessary resources to 
        develop immunity in the population and stop the spread of this disease, 
        which will prevent another catastrophic public health emergency: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses concern about the rapid spread of monkeypox 
        in the United States and across the globe;
            (2) urges the Department of Health and Human Services to 
        take all possible actions to deploy every resource available, 
        including testing, vaccines, and therapeutics, to aggressively 
        respond to the rapid spread of monkeypox; and
            (3) recommends that the Secretary of Health and Human 
        Services declare a public health emergency for the monkeypox 
        virus.
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