On January 22, the House passed the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act (HR 307) by a vote of 395-29. The bill reauthorizes several medical disaster preparedness programs, including the National Disaster Medical System and the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Cooperative Agreement program, which provides grants to enhance state and local health departments' response capabilities for public health hazards. Under the bill, both programs would be reauthorized at current spending levels through fiscal 2017. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI), is similar to a measure he introduced last year that passed the House in December. The Senate passed its own version of the reauthorization measure in March 2012. The measure approved yesterday will now go to the Senate for consideration.

Link: HR 307