State Stockpile Readiness Act of 2020

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 7507 To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to States to expand or maintain a strategic stockpile of products deemed to be essential in the event of a public health emergency, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JULY 9, 2020 Mr. CARTER of Georgia (for himself and Mr. O’HALLERAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to States to expand or maintain a stra- tegic stockpile of products deemed to be essential in the event of a public health emergency, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘State Stockpile Readi- 4 ness Act of 2020’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:13 Jul 27, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7507.IH H7507 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 7507 IH SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR STATE STRATEGIC STOCKPILES. 1 Title III of the Public Health Service Act is amended 2 by inserting after section 319F–4 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 3 247d–6e) the following new section: 4 ‘‘SEC. 319F–5. GRANTS FOR STATE STRATEGIC STOCKPILES. 5 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may establish a 6 pilot program consisting of awarding grants to States to 7 expand or maintain a strategic stockpile of commercially 8 available drugs, medical equipment, personal protective 9 equipment, and other products deemed by the State to be 10 essential in the event of a public health emergency. 11 ‘‘(b) ALLOWABLE USE OF FUNDS.— 12 ‘‘(1) USES.—A State receiving a grant under 13 this section may use the grant funds to— 14 ‘‘(A) acquire commercially available prod- 15 ucts listed pursuant to paragraph (2) for inclu- 16 sion in the State’s strategic stockpile; 17 ‘‘(B) store, maintain, and distribute prod- 18 ucts in such stockpile; and 19 ‘‘(C) conduct planning in connection with 20 such activities. 21 ‘‘(2) LIST.—The Secretary shall develop and 22 publish a list of the products that are eligible, as de- 23 scribed in subsection (a), for inclusion in a State’s 24 strategic stockpile using funds received under this 25 section. 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:13 Jul 27, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7507.IH H7507 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 7507 IH ‘‘(3) CONSULTATION.—In developing the list 1 under paragraph (2) and otherwise determining the 2 allowable uses of grant funds under this section, the 3 Secretary shall consult with States and relevant 4 stakeholders, including public health organizations. 5 ‘‘(c) FUNDING REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary may 6 not obligate or expend any funds to award grants or fund 7 any previously awarded grants under this section for a fis- 8 cal year unless the total amount made available to carry 9 out section 319F–2 for such fiscal year is equal to or 10 greater than the total amount of funds made available to 11 carry out section 319F–2 for fiscal year 2020. 12 ‘‘(d) MATCHING FUNDS.— 13 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—With respect to the costs of 14 expanding and maintaining a strategic stockpile 15 through a grant under this section, as a condition on 16 receipt of the grant, a State shall make available (di- 17 rectly) non-Federal contributions in cash toward 18 such costs in an amount that is equal to not less 19 than the amount of Federal funds provided through 20 the grant. 21 ‘‘(2) WAIVER.—The Secretary may waive the 22 requirement of paragraph (1) with respect to a State 23 for the first two years of the State receiving a grant 24 under this section if the Secretary determines that 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:13 Jul 27, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7507.IH H7507 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 7507 IH such waiver is needed for the State to establish a 1 strategic stockpile described in subsection (a). 2 ‘‘(e) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall 3 provide technical assistance to States in establishing, ex- 4 panding, and maintaining a stockpile described in sub- 5 section (a). 6 ‘‘(f) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘drug’ 7 has the meaning given to that term in section 201 of the 8 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. 9 ‘‘(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To 10 carry out this section, there is authorized to be appro- 11 priated $3,500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 12 through 2023, to remain available until expended. 13 ‘‘(h) SUNSET.—The authority vested by this section 14 terminates at the end of fiscal year 2023.’’. 15 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:13 Jul 27, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H7507.IH H7507 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS