The House of Representatives passed the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act (PAHPAI) (S. 1379). The Senate passed the legislation on May 16, 2019, and it is now headed to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
The development and passage of PAHPAI has been one of NACCHO’s top advocacy priorities for over two years. NACCHO has sent multiple letters to Congress about the need to reauthorize emergency preparedness legislation, which can be found on this page under Preparedness. Among other things, the bill reauthorizes the Public Health Emergency Preparedness grant program and Hospital Preparedness Program to keep the nation’s emergency preparedness infrastructure strong; strengthens the National Health Security Strategy, including global health security; and authorizes the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasure Enterprise, with a role for input from stakeholders, including local health departments.
NACCHO sent out a press release after the bill passed. Thank you to all NACCHO members who provided input about preparedness programs and reached out to policymakers about the need to pass this bill.
