National Biodefense Strategy Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-2967
Sponsor: Sen. Johnson, Ron [R-WI]
Introduced: 2016-05-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Chemical and biological weapons
Congressional oversight
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Emergency planning and evacuation
Government studies and investigations
Performance measurement
Research and development

Summary:
action_date: 2016-05-23
text: 

National Biodefense Strategy Act of 2016

 
This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the President to: 
 
 
 develop, submit, and periodically update a National Biodefense Strategy to direct and align federal efforts toward an effective and continuously improving biodefense enterprise (i.e., the programs, projects, activities, and resources across the government that are involved in biodefense, defined as any involvement in mitigating the risks of major biological incidents and public health emergencies to the United States);
 
 establish a Biodefense Coordination Council to provide the expertise necessary to develop the strategy and which shall align government biodefense activities and spending in a manner consistent with the strategy; and
 
report annually on total federal agency expenditures on biodefense activities.
 
 
The strategy shall serve as a comprehensive guide for U.S. biodefense and shall include:
 
 
a comprehensive description of the entities and leadership positions responsible for implementing, overseeing, and coordinating federal biodefense activities;
 
 a review of collaborative efforts between the Armed Forces and the civilian sector of the government on biodefense activities and coordination; 
 
 a detailed analyses of recommendations issued by external biodefense review commissions, lessons learned from the government response to public health emergencies within the preceding five years, major biological incident risks, resources and capabilities needed to address identified risks, resource and capability gaps in the biodefense enterprise, and prioritization and allocation of investment across the biodefense enterprise;
 
 five-year goals, priorities, and metrics to improve and strengthen the government's ability to prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from a major biological incident; 
 
 research and development projects or initiatives planned to improve biodefense capability; and 
 
 recommendations for legislative action.
 

action_date: 2016-08-30
text: 

National Biodefense Strategy Act of 2016

 
(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the President to: 
 
 
 develop, submit, and periodically update a National Biodefense Strategy to direct and align federal efforts toward an effective and continuously improving biodefense enterprise, including threat awareness, prevention and protection, surveillance and detection, and response and recovery to major biological incidents;
 
 establish a Biodefense Coordination Council to provide the expertise necessary to develop the strategy and which shall align government biodefense activities and spending in a manner consistent with the strategy; and
 
report annually on total federal agency expenditures on biodefense activities and how the expenditures relate to strategy goals and priorities.
 
 
The strategy shall serve as a comprehensive guide for U.S. biodefense and shall include:
 
 
a comprehensive description of the entities and leadership positions responsible for implementing, overseeing, and coordinating federal biodefense activities;
 
 five-year goals, priorities, and metrics to improve and strengthen the government's ability to prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from a major biological incident; 
 
 research and development projects or initiatives planned to improve biodefense capability; and 
 
 recommendations for legislative action.
 
 
The strategy shall also include an appendix, which shall contain:
 
 
 a review of collaborative efforts between the Armed Forces and the civilian sector of the government on biodefense activities and coordination; and
 
 a detailed analyses of recommendations issued by external biodefense review commissions, lessons learned from the government response to public health emergencies within the preceding five years, major biological incident risks, resources and capabilities needed to address identified risks, resource and capability gaps in the biodefense enterprise, and prioritization and allocation of investment across the biodefense enterprise.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-08-30
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 577.
action_date: 2016-08-30
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson under authority of the order of the Senate of 07/14/2016 with amendments and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 114-306.
action_date: 2016-08-30
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson under authority of the order of the Senate of 07/14/2016 with amendments and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 114-306.
action_date: 2016-05-25
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
action_date: 2016-05-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2016-05-23
text: Introduced in Senate