Davis sponsors Pandemic Rapid Response Act modeled on 9/11 Commission

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) on April 3 introduced bipartisan legislation to establish the National Commission on the COVID-19 Pandemic.

“While our focus now is on helping Americans through this pandemic, we are going to need to look at our response, without finger-pointing or politics, to see what we’ve learned from the first pandemic I’ve experienced in my lifetime,” Rep. Davis said. “I’ve worked to ensure this bill is bipartisan, that the commission itself is not swayed to one party or the other, and that the administration is brought in.”

Rep. Davis sponsored the Pandemic Rapid Response Act, H.R. 6440, with 12 original cosponsors, including U.S. Reps. Fred Upton (R-MI), Frank Lucas (R-OK), Dave Joyce (R-OH), John Moolenaar (R-MI), and David Trone (D-MD) to create the bipartisan commission, which would analyze the nation’s response and make recommendations to better prepare for any future pandemic.

H.R. 6440 is closely modeled after the establishment of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission, according to the congressman’s office.

“This commission will also engage the international community to determine the impact the response of other countries had on the U.S.,” said Rep. Davis. “The only way this country is going to get the answers we need is if we create a true bipartisan commission and this bill does that.”

If enacted, the commission established under H.R. 6440 would be made up of 10 experts, a chair and vice-chair chosen by leaders in each house of Congress, as well as eight other members to be chosen on a bipartisan basis. All experts would be from fields including governmental service, biological science, higher education, and medicine, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Davis’ office.

And to ensure the administration is involved in the process, the president would have the ability to make at least one appointment to the commission, according to the summary.

The commission would make recommendations to the president and Congress regarding a comprehensive national plan to respond to future global and national viral outbreaks and medical emergencies, and would build on reports from the intelligence community, as well as other information and investigations that have been conducted by various federal agencies, congressional committees, and international organizations, the summary says.

H.R. 6440 has been referred for consideration to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee.