Brooks’ pandemic preparedness reauthorization bill passes House

Bipartisan legislation sponsored by U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN) to bolster America’s preparedness and response to public health emergencies, including disease outbreaks, bioterror attacks or chemical incidents, received approval on Sept. 25 from the U.S. House of Representatives.

“I am proud this comprehensive bill ensures our health care professionals are trained to respond to possible pandemic outbreaks, prioritizes the further development of our national stockpile of vaccines, medical equipment and diagnostics, and establishes new advisory groups focused on protecting vulnerable populations, such as senior citizens and people with disabilities during public health threats and emergencies,” Rep. Brooks said following the House vote on Tuesday approving the bill.

The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2018, H.R. 6378, introduced by Brooks on July 16 with original cosponsors U.S. Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Greg Walden (R-OR), and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), was among 38 House bills being considered on Sept. 25.

U.S. Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN), who voted to advance the measure, said, “Protecting Americans in the 21st century is ensuring our nation is adequately prepared to prevent – and respond to – large-scale public health emergencies.”

Calling the measure “critical to our national security,” Rep. Eshoo, who co-authored the proposal with Rep. Brooks, said H.R. 6378 updates the original Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), which was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2006.

H.R. 6378, among numerous provisions, would reauthorize and boost funding ceilings for programs under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop responses to pandemics and biological threats. The funding also supports drug makers in the research and development of medicine, medical devices and vaccines for use against man-made or naturally occurring diseases such as Ebola, pandemic flu and drug-resistant bacteria.

H.R. 6378 also would direct federal agencies to respond to new and emerging threats “to strengthen our nation’s existing preparedness and response programs,” said Eshoo. This would include agencies such as HHS’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), which supports private-sector development of new drugs and vaccines.

Rep. Bucshon, a medical doctor, pointed out that H.R. 6378 “will bolster our emergency preparedness infrastructure by providing and improving the available resources to train health care professionals for possible pandemic outbreaks, continuing to develop our national stockpiles of vaccines and medical equipment, and establishing new advisory groups focused on protecting our highly vulnerable populations like senior citizens and those with disabilities.”

The U.S. Senate received H.R. 6378 on Sept. 26 for consideration.