Carter offers bipartisan State Strategic Stockpile Act

As the United States struggles with a shortage of more than 130 essential medications, U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) recently sponsored bipartisan legislation that would extend the authorization of appropriations for grants for state strategic stockpiles.

“During the pandemic, Georgia’s healthcare providers and patients struggled to access critical medical supplies and personal protective equipment. We can never let this happen again,” Rep. Carter said on June 2. “This bipartisan bill ensures that states have the resources they need to respond quickly to future public health emergencies without solely relying on the federal Strategic National Stockpile.”

Specifically, the State Strategic Stockpile Act of 2023, H.R. 3631, which Rep. Carter introduced on May 24 alongside lead original cosponsor U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), would fund a program supporting states in developing and maintaining stockpiles of critical drugs, vaccines, and other medical supplies in case of a public health emergency or supply chain disruption, according to a bill summary provided by the lawmakers.

If enacted, H.R. 3631 would serve as a supplement to the federal Strategic National Stockpile so that states can develop, expand, or maintain their own stockpiles of medical supplies, such as antibiotics, personal protective equipment, and ventilators, the summary says.

“We still are experiencing some of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as drug shortages, from which we need to recover. We also need to be prepared in case of a future public health emergency,” said Rep. Houlahan. “It’s crucial that we have a federal Strategic National Stockpile, but states shouldn’t have to rely on that as their only resource.”

During the previous session of Congress, Rep. Carter successfully included provisions of his State Stockpile Readiness Act in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, creating a pilot program to support state medical stockpiles for fiscal years (FYs) 2022-2024, according to the summary, which says H.R. 3631 would extend the authorization to FY 2028.