PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10431-10434)
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Sep 26, 2005
Public Health and Health Insurance Emergency Response Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to modify certain requirements during a declared public health emergency, including by: (1) extending deadlines for administrative reporting; (2) waiving matching funds requirements; and (3) waiving health care professionals' licensing requirements.
Allows the Secretary to: (1) extend temporary assistance in meeting health emergencies to 18 months (currently, such assistance is limited to six months); and (2) temporarily provide reimbursements (at the same rate provided to qualified health centers) to any health center or facility providing primary and preventive care that treats individuals displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
Amends the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 to provide, in the event of a major disaster and declared public health emergency, for the establishment of a registry to identify and maintain information about individuals with disabilities in emergency shelters and assure that such individuals are receiving necessary services and support.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Requires the Secretary to provide for an immediate and independent review of the lessons learned from the federal, state, and local public health, mental health, and medical care planning and preparedness for, and response to, Hurricane Katrina.
Requires the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct an audit and investigation of Hurricane Katrina related programs of HHS.
Requires the Secretary to establish a program to provide emergency health coverage continuation relief through the provision of direct payments of health insurance premiums on behalf of eligible businesses and their employees and purchasers of individual health insurance coverage.
People & committees
Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY] · R–WY
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10431-10434)
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10430-10431)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
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.
AI Conversation Starters
Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.
Analyze S.1769 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
Examine S.1769 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
Examine S.1769 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.
Examine S.1769 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.