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 · Sep 8, 2005
Hurricane Katrina Emergency Health Workforce Act of 2005 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish the National Emergency Health Professionals Volunteer Corps to provide for an adequate supply of health professionals in the event of an emergency.
Requires the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish a national database of health professionals to increase health preparedness for federal emergencies.
Includes service by physicians and other health professionals who are providing treatment or services related to a declared major disaster as "service in the uniformed services" for purposes of employment and reemployment benefits.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Amends the Public Health Service Act and title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require hospitals that receive federal payments for graduate medical education costs to provide disaster preparedness training as part of any approved graduate medical residency training program provided by the hospital.
Deems volunteer health professionals providing a qualifying health service related to a declared major disaster to be employees of the Public Health Service for purposes of liability protection.
Authorizes the Secretary to suspend state health professional licensing and certification requirements for health professionals that are operating in such state during a declared major disaster.
Authorizes the Secretary and the Secretary of Homeland Security to waive any federal requirements applicable to health professions that would limit the ability of health professionals to provide volunteer medical services related to a declared major disaster.
People & committees
Sen. Obama, Barack [D-IL] · D–IL
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9844-9845)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 15, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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