PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Oct 3, 2001
Biological and Chemical Weapons Preparedness Act of 2001 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a coordinated plan to achieve the following biological or chemical preparedness goals by 2010: (1) first responders (law enforcement, fire, and medical services) will have adequate response capacity, training, and technology; (2) sophisticated electronic disease surveillance and information exchange; and (3) development of the health care and public health workforce in key biopreparedness priority areas.Requires such plan to include specific benchmarks and outcome measures. Funds activities through block grants to States. Includes Indian tribes in this program at their request.Requires each participating States' public health agency to develop (with the recommendations of a State Bioterrorism Preparedness Advisory Committee) a certifiable plan. Sets forth uniform data collection and reporting requirements. Requires fiscal controls on the use of such funds, including audits, repayments, and withholding (after investigation).Requires compliance with specified nondiscrimination acts. Establishes criminal penalties for fraudulently collecting payments.Directs the Secretary to award competitive grants with an emphasis on building emergency surge capacity, biocontainment, and decontamination capabilities.Authorizes additional appropriations for programs concerning; (1) vaccine, antibiotic, and therapeutic research and development; (2) protecting the food supply (including interdiction); and (3) research by specified federal agencies and departments.Requires the Secretary to review Federal counterterrorism efforts in light of unique rural community requirements.
People & committees
Sen. Edwards, John [D-NC] · D–NC
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 19, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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