Pandemic and Seasonal Influenza Act of 2005

Bill: 109-hr-4603
Sponsor: Rep. Lowey, Nita M. [D-NY-18]
Introduced: 2005-12-16 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Agricultural labor
Agriculture and Food
Animal diseases
Animals
Birds
Civil actions and liability
Commerce
Communication in medicine
Compensation (Law)
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and Law Enforcement
Curricula
Data banks
Department of State
Directories
Drug industry
Economic assistance
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Emergency Management
Epidemiology
Executive reorganization
Federal aid to research
Federal officials
Fire fighters
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Government liability
Government paperwork
Government procurement
Government publicity
Government trust funds
Grants-in-aid
Health education
Health information systems
Health planning
Health surveys
Higher education
Human behavior
Immigrant health
Immigration
Immunology and vaccination
Influenza
International Affairs
International agencies
International cooperation
International relief
Labor and Employment
Law
Law enforcement officers
Liability (Law)
Limitation of actions
Medical education
Medical personnel
Medical records
Medically uninsured
Minorities
Minority health
Occupational health and safety
Paramedical personnel
Pharmaceutical research
Police
Poultry
Preventive medicine
Public service advertising
Research grants
Risk
Science, Technology, Communications
Vaccination
Veterinary medicine

Summary:
action_date: 2005-12-16
text: 
Pandemic and Seasonal Influenza Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to issue a pandemic influenza declaration putting into effect provisions relating to government liability and compensation for injuries with respect to specified countermeasures. Requires the Secretary to establish a compensation program for countermeasure-related injuries or deaths. Establishes the Pandemic Influenza Countermeasure Injury Compensation Fund. Establishes the liability of the United States for claims arising out of the administration of a covered countermeasure by a qualified person during the period of such declaration.
 
Requires states to have an approved state pandemic influenza preparedness plan as a condition of receiving certain bioterrorism funds.
 
Requires the Secretary to: (1) provide for the purchase of excess stocks of influenza vaccine; (2) establish minimum thresholds for state pandemic influenza surveillance; (3) procure antivirals, vaccines, essential medication, and other supplies related to a pandemic influenza for the Strategic National Stockpile; and (4) develop a national system for tracking and distributing antiviral medications and vaccines.
 
Establishes a Global Network for Avian Influenza Surveillance.
 
Provides for: (1) the development of an influenza public education campaign; (2) the expansion and intensification of influenza research; and (3) the development of best practices and social science research.
 
Requires the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary to develop workplace standards to protect health care workers and first responders from workplace exposure to pandemic influenza. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary of State to provide assistance to foreign countries to combat the avian influenza virus.
 
 Requires the Secretary of State to: (1) designate a coordinator of U.S. assistance to combat the avian influenza virus; and (2) develop country strategies to prevent, mitigate, and respond to outbreaks in designated high-risk countries.
 
Requires the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to establish an early warning system to prevent, mitigate, and respond to outbreaks of the avian influenza virus in foreign countries.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-05-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness.
action_date: 2006-05-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.
action_date: 2006-01-24
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock and Horticulture.
action_date: 2006-01-20
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology.
action_date: 2006-01-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Research.
action_date: 2006-01-10
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
action_date: 2006-01-10
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans.
action_date: 2006-01-03
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2005-12-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Resources, Agriculture, International Relations, Education and the Workforce, Science, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-12-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Resources, Agriculture, International Relations, Education and the Workforce, Science, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-12-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Resources, Agriculture, International Relations, Education and the Workforce, Science, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-12-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Resources, Agriculture, International Relations, Education and the Workforce, Science, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-12-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Resources, Agriculture, International Relations, Education and the Workforce, Science, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-12-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Resources, Agriculture, International Relations, Education and the Workforce, Science, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-12-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Resources, Agriculture, International Relations, Education and the Workforce, Science, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-12-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Resources, Agriculture, International Relations, Education and the Workforce, Science, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-12-16
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2005-12-16
text: Introduced in House