Senators Hassan and Romney Urge Senate Leaders to Improve Programs to Respond to Public Health Threats

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Mitt Romney (R-UT), the Chair and Ranking Member of the Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight Subcommittee, urged Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to reauthorize the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), which improves programs to respond to public health threats. This is especially critical for supporting strong public health responses like the one to the recent human case of bird flu in the United States.

This legislation is part of Senator Hassan’s efforts to ensure that the United States is prepared for any future public health emergencies. Last year, Senator Hassan introduced bipartisan legislation to increase preparedness for public health emergencies by extending the state medical stockpile grant program and encouraging regional coordination of these stockpiles. This legislation is now included in draft PAHPA reauthorization bills advanced by both House and Senate Committees.

“We must reauthorize PAHPA to ensure that the United States is prepared to meet the challenges we face today and the potential public health emergencies of tomorrow,” the Senators wrote. “The reauthorization bills advanced in both House and Senate committees would strengthen our national approach to ever-changing and emerging threats. Congress has a responsibility to continually improve the country’s ability to identify and mitigate fast-evolving threats to public health.”

Click to see the full letter sent to Leaders Schumer and McConnell or see text below:

Dear Leaders Schumer and McConnell,

We write to urge action on the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), which has broad implications for the country’s preparedness and response to public health threats. Critical preparedness and response authorities lapsed in 2023, and the recent reports of human infection with H5N1 avian flu that is highly pathogenic in birds, as confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), underscore the need for Congress to quickly renew this legislation. We must reauthorize PAHPA to ensure that the United States is prepared to meet the challenges we face today and the potential public health emergencies of tomorrow.

The rapid response of the public health community in the face of the evolving bird flu outbreak highlights the importance of our health preparedness infrastructure. While the CDC has advised that the bird flu does not currently pose a risk to the public at large, public health experts continue to warn that the bird flu could mutate further and eventually pose a serious threat to humans. Studies indicate that bird flu infections in humans may lead to further health concerns, including acute respiratory distress syndrome and other serious conditions. Prompt congressional action will directly strengthen our national readiness and response in the face of an evolving threat like bird flu.

The bipartisan Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act advanced by the Senate HELP Committee would renew and build upon PAHPA to further improve our emergency response capacity. PAHPA, which was first passed in 2006, provided foundational resources to states and jurisdictions for early warning, prevention, and preparedness. Each subsequent reauthorization of PAHPA has made improvements to allow the Administration for Preparedness and Response and other HHS agencies to better anticipate threats and act swiftly during an emergency. The reauthorization bills advanced in both House and Senate committees would strengthen our national approach to ever-changing and emerging threats.

Congress has a responsibility to continually improve the country’s ability to identify and mitigate fast-evolving threats to public health. We look forward to working with Leadership to act on this legislation as soon as possible.

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