This week, Congress voted on House Bill H.R. 391, which directs the president to create a Global Health Security Agency Interagency Review Council to implement the Global Health Security Agenda. The initiative has been launched by about 30 nations, and it addresses the threat of global infectious diseases. Florida Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R) voted in favor of the bill, which was introduced by Virginia Rep. Gerald Connolly (D).
If created, the Council would meet at least four times per year. The bill would also direct federal agencies involves with the agenda to prioritize its implementation and to take certain steps, which include developing plans outlining their contributions to the agenda.
The agenda includes “providing policy recommendations on goals, objectives, and implementation related to the Global Health Security Agenda.” It includes “helping federal agencies with implementation of the Global Health Security Agenda,” and would also review “the progress toward and challenges related to achieving U.S. commitments to the Global Health Security Agenda, including the provision of assistance to help other countries meet the agenda’s targets.”
The bill gained 76 cosponsors, and Connolly released a statement after the bill passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
In the statement, Connolly expressed that “the global COVID-19 pandemic has underscored not only the need for a robust federal response to such a crisis, but also the importance of investing in global health security. And pandemic preparedness around the world because diseases do not stop at borders.” “I welcome the fact that the House Foreign Affairs Committee has coalesced around a bipartisan solution that addresses deficiencies in the current pandemic response effort as well as demonstrates a commitment to a comprehensive and sustainable approach to global health security going forward,” he added.
