Comments sought on draft preparedness legislation

Feb. 4 is the deadline for commenting on a discussion draft of the PREVENT Pandemics Act, released by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee this week. The bipartisan legislation aims to strengthen the nation’s public health and medical preparedness and response systems in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a committee summary, the PREVENT Pandemics Act would create a bipartisan task force to review the COVID-19 response, grant additional authorities to some federal agencies, strengthen domestic manufacturing of medical devices and supplies, fund the recruitment and training of community health workers, and enhance the oversight role of Congress in future pandemics. (AHA News article, 1/26/22)