“U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY) will introduce a bill that would create a new agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Medical Command (NMC).”
“This new independent agency would be charged with preparing for, monitoring, and responding to pandemics. Further, it would provide significantly increased federal funding for research into treatments and vaccines against infectious diseases.”
“The bill – the U.S. Infectious Disease Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Act — would address the current pandemic and plan for future outbreaks. It would establish the National Medical Command, which would be responsible for crafting a unified national strategy for dealing with pandemics, monitoring infectious disease outbreaks around the world, and functioning as a pandemic warning system. Also, it would authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create a grant program for organizations to engage in community-based strategies to stop the spread of infectious diseases. Priority would be given to organizations working with high-risk populations, including the elderly, children, the immunocompromised, and low-income and homeless individuals. Additionally, it would authorize the development of a strategic five-year plan to devote $5 billion of targeted funding at the NIH for treatments and vaccines…” Read the full article here.
Source: Rep. Higgins to introduce bill establishing new pandemic agency within HHS – By Dave Kovaleski, May 7, 2020. Homeland Preparedness News.
