Disaster Area Health and Environmental Monitoring Act of 2005

Bill: 109-hr-3850
Sponsor: Rep. Maloney, Carolyn B. [D-NY-14]
Introduced: 2005-09-21 in the House
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Access to health care
Adult day care
Chemicals
Child care workers
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Communication in medicine
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and Law Enforcement
Data banks
Day care
Directories
Disaster relief
Disasters
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Environmental health
Environmental monitoring
Epidemiology
Families
Federal advisory bodies
Finance and Financial Sector
Fire fighters
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Health
Health education
Health insurance
Health surveys
Higher education
Hurricane aftermath legislation
Labor and Employment
Law enforcement officers
Medical records
Medical research
Medical tests
Mental health
Mental health services
Occupational health and safety
Paramedical personnel
Patients' rights
Physical examinations
Police
Preventive medicine
Public health
Rescue work
Right of privacy
School personnel
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
Students
Teachers
Terrorism
Toxicology
Volunteer workers

Summary:
action_date: 2005-09-21
text: 
Disaster Area Health and Environmental Monitoring Act of 2005 - Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President to carry out a program for the protection, assessment, monitoring, and study of the health and safety of individuals if chemicals or substances associated with potential acute or chronic human health effects (substances of concern) are being or have been released in a disaster area.

Makes participation in any registry or study that is part of the program voluntary. Requires the President to take appropriate measures to protect the privacy of registry or study participants.

Authorizes the President to carry out such a program through a cooperative agreement with a medical institution (including a local health department) or a consortium of medical institutions. Requires the President to carry out such a program in accordance with certain privacy regulations promulgated under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.

Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to enter jointly into a contract with the National Academy of Sciences to study and report on disaster area health and environmental protection and monitoring.
 
Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to extend through September 30, 2007, the President's authority to establish a program to provide technical and financial assistance to state and local governments for the implementation of cost-effective predisaster hazard mitigation measures.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-10-07
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.
action_date: 2005-09-22
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.
action_date: 2005-09-21
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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: 2005-09-21
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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: 2005-09-21
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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: 2005-09-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1912-1913)
action_date: 2005-09-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2005-09-21
text: Introduced in House