PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Executive Comment Requested from DOD, DOE.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Nov 8, 2001
Bioterrorism Protection Act (BioPAct) of 2001 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to provide for grants, scholarships, and loans in order to strengthen the nursing profession. Establishes the National Nursing Service Corps Scholarship Program.Authorizes appropriations to: (1) increase hospital and provider capacity, training, and resources for treating bioterrorism victims; (2) increase and improve vaccine and antibiotic supplies for attack victims; and (3) provide for the coordination, training, and equipping of bioterrorism emergency responders.Authorizes appropriations for Department of Agriculture activities to: (1) reduce agricultural pathogen and insect pest threats; and (2) increase Department information systems security.Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to expand the Food and Drug Administration's capacity to ensure the safety of the food supply system, including imported food, and protect against the threat of bioterrorism.Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to: (1) permit debarment for repeated or serious food import violations; (2) deem as misbranded imported food without country-of-origin labeling; (3) deem as adulterated a food item imported by a debarred person; and (4) require registration of food manufacturing, processing, and handling facilities.Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to: (1) undertake public water systems vulnerability assessments and review related emergency response plans; and (2) provide such systems with assistance for basic security enhancements and information systems protection.Amends the Federal criminal code to set penalties for possessing a select agent known to be a biological agent, with reckless disregard for the public health and safety.Authorizes appropriations for neutron scanner technology and technology to detect biological or chemical agents and for increased numbers of border patrol and immigration officers.Directs the Attorney General to develop or carry out various programs, including programs to improve identification of those appearing on law enforcement "watch lists" and to mandate better tracking of visas.Requires the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security to: (1) assess terrorist threats within the United States and its territories and possible responses to such threats; (2) implement a public education campaign concerning appropriate response to a terrorist attack; and (3) coordinate the deployment of chemical and biological detection capabilities.Requires the President to: (1) establish a database of information concerning terrorist activity; and (2) reduce barriers to the sharing of such information among Federal law enforcement agencies and the intelligence community.Requires the Secretary of Defense to: (1) increase military capability to respond to domestic crises involving chemical or biological weapons; (2) implement interagency crisis response and consequence management; and (3) accelerate response research and development.Requires the Secretary of Energy to increase efforts relating to nonproliferation verification of chemical and biological materials in countries other than the United States.Urges the President to seek to establish a United States-Russian Federation Biological-Chemical Working Group.
People & committees
Rep. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ-13] · D–NJ
Legislative record
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Executive Comment Requested from DOD, DOE.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Armed Services, Science, Intelligence (Permanent Select), International Relations, Agriculture, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Armed Services, Science, Intelligence (Permanent Select), International Relations, Agriculture, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Armed Services, Science, Intelligence (Permanent Select), International Relations, Agriculture, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Armed Services, Science, Intelligence (Permanent Select), International Relations, Agriculture, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Armed Services, Science, Intelligence (Permanent Select), International Relations, Agriculture, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Armed Services, Science, Intelligence (Permanent Select), International Relations, Agriculture, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Armed Services, Science, Intelligence (Permanent Select), International Relations, Agriculture, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Armed Services, Science, Intelligence (Permanent Select), International Relations, Agriculture, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Armed Services, Science, Intelligence (Permanent Select), International Relations, Agriculture, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Armed Services, Science, Intelligence (Permanent Select), International Relations, Agriculture, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 19, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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