Global Pathogen Surveillance Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-2170
Sponsor: Sen. Frist, William H. [R-TN]
Introduced: 2005-12-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Arms control agreements
Biological warfare
Buy American
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Communicable diseases
Communication in medicine
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and Law Enforcement
Department of Defense
Department of Health and Human Services
Developing countries
Economic assistance
Education
Embassies
Epidemiology
Federal employees
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government procurement
Health information systems
Health surveys
Higher education
Information technology
International Affairs
International agencies
Medical education
Medical laboratories
Medical research
Medical supplies
Medical technology
Public health administration
Public health personnel
Scholarships
Science, Technology, Communications
State-sponsored terrorism
Syndromes
Technical assistance
Terrorism
World health

Summary:
action_date: 2005-12-21
text: 
Global Pathogen Surveillance Act of 2005 - Prohibits assistance under this Act to an eligible developing country that does not: (1) permit World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) personnel to investigate infectious disease outbreaks within its borders; and (2) provide pathogen surveillance data to appropriate U.S. and international agencies and organizations.
 
Prohibits any participating foreign national from having unsupervised access to agents that may be used in a biological weapon.
 
Establishes a public health education and training fellowship program for eligible nationals to pursue: (1) a master of public health degree with a concentration in epidemiology; or (2) advanced public health training in epidemiology. 
 
Directs the Secretary of State to support short training courses in-country (not in the United States) for laboratory technicians and other public health personnel in: (1) laboratory techniques relating to the identification, diagnosis, and tracking of pathogens responsible for possible infectious disease outbreaks; and (2) syndrome surveillance reporting and rapid analysis of syndrome information using Geographic Information System (GIS). 
 
Authorizes the President to furnish assistance to eligible developing countries to purchase and maintain: (1) public health laboratory equipment necessary to collect, analyze, and identify pathogens which may cause disease outbreaks or may be used as a biological weapon; and (2) related communications equipment and information technology. 
 
Authorizes a federal agency head, upon the request of a U.S. chief of diplomatic mission or an international health organization, and with the Secretary's concurrence, to assign to the respective U.S. mission or organization any public health officer or employee of the agency for the purpose of enhancing disease and pathogen surveillance efforts in developing countries. 
 
Directs CDCP and the Department of Defense (DOD) to: (1) increase the number of personnel assigned to their respective laboratories located in eligible developing countries that conduct infectious disease research; and (2) expand the operations of those laboratories, especially in the implementation of on-site training of foreign nationals and regional outreach efforts. 
 
Authorizes: (1) the President to provide assistance to enhance the surveillance and reporting capabilities for WHO and existing regional and international health networks, and develop new health networks; and (2) the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish new country or regional foreign epidemiology training programs in eligible developing countries.
 
Directs the President to establish the Office of Foreign Biological Threat Detection and Warning.

action_date: 2005-12-22
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

 
Global Pathogen Surveillance Act of 2005 - (Sec. 3) Defines specified terms for purposes of this Act.
 
(Sec. 4) Prohibits assistance under this Act to an eligible developing country that does not: (1) permit World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) personnel to investigate infectious disease outbreaks within its borders; and (2) provide pathogen surveillance data to appropriate U.S. and international agencies and organizations.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of State to waive such prohibition for national security purposes. 
 
(Sec. 5) Prohibits any participating foreign national from having unsupervised access to agents that may be used in a biological weapon.
 
(Sec. 6) Establishes a public health education and training fellowship program for eligible nationals to pursue: (1) a master of public health degree with a concentration in epidemiology; or (2) advanced public health training in epidemiology. Authorizes fellowship recipients to take CDCP or equivalent courses on diagnosis and containment of bioterrorism agents. 
 
Authorizes, and sets forth the conditions for, program participation by U.S. citizens. 
 
(Sec. 7) Directs the Secretary to support short training courses in-country (not in the United States) for laboratory technicians and other public health personnel in: (1) laboratory techniques relating to the identification, diagnosis, and tracking of pathogens responsible for possible infectious disease outbreaks; and (2) syndrome surveillance reporting and rapid analysis of syndrome information using Geographic Information System (GIS). 
 
(Sec. 8) Authorizes the President to furnish assistance to eligible developing countries to purchase and maintain: (1) public health laboratory equipment necessary to collect, analyze, and identify pathogens which may cause disease outbreaks or may be used as a biological weapon; and (2) related communications equipment and information technology. Gives procurement preference to U.S.-manufactured equipment and supplies.
 
(Sec. 10) Authorizes a federal agency head, upon the request of a U.S. chief of diplomatic mission or an international health organization, and with the Secretary's concurrence, to assign to the respective U.S. mission or organization any public health officer or employee of the agency for the purpose of enhancing disease and pathogen surveillance efforts in developing countries. 
 
(Sec. 11) Directs CDCP and the Department of Defense (DOD) to: (1) increase the number of personnel assigned to their respective laboratories located in eligible developing countries that conduct infectious disease research; and (2) expand the operations of those laboratories, especially in the implementation of on-site training of foreign nationals and regional outreach efforts. 
 
(Sec. 12) Authorizes: (1) the President to provide assistance to enhance the surveillance and reporting capabilities for WHO and existing regional and international health networks, and develop new health networks; and (2) the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish new country or regional foreign epidemiology training programs in eligible developing countries.
 
(Sec. 13) Directs the President to establish the Office of Foreign Biological Threat Detection and Warning within either DOD, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), or CDCP with the technical ability to conduct event detection and rapid threat assessment related to biological threats in foreign countries. 
 
(Sec. 14) Directs the Secretary to report to Congress respecting program implementation under this Act and related funding requirements.
 
(Sec. 15) Authorizes FY2006 appropriations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-12-22
text: Held at the desk.
action_date: 2005-12-22
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2005-12-22
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2005-12-22
text: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S14399-14402; text as passed Senate: CR S14399-14402; text of measure as introduced: CR S14329-14332)
action_date: 2005-12-22
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S14399-14402; text as passed Senate: CR S14399-14402; text of measure as introduced: CR S14329-14332)
action_date: 2005-12-21
text: Introduced in the Senate, read twice.
action_date: 2005-12-21
text: Introduced in Senate