H.R. 6399: Strengthening Public Health Protections in Major Disasters and Emergencies Act

109th Congress · introduced 2006-12-06 · Health · Latest: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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.

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Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2006-12-06 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Jefferson, William J. [D-LA-2] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Strengthening Public Health Protections in Major Disasters and Emergencies Act

Plain summary

Strengthening Public Health Protections in Major Disasters and Emergencies Act - Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President, if one or more chemicals or substances associated with potential acute or chronic human health effects are being or have been released in a major disaster area, to carry out a program for the protection, assessment, monitoring, and study of the health and safety of workers or volunteers who responded to Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita or who respond to a major disaster or emergency, residents in a disaster area, or persons who are employed in, or who attend school, child care, or adult day care in, a disaster area. Authorizes the President to carry out such a program through a cooperative agreement with a medical institution or consortium of medical institutions, especially those located near the disaster area and any other area in which there reside groups of individuals that worked or volunteered in response to the disaster. Requires such institution to have appropriate experience in the areas of environmental or occupational health, toxicology, and safety. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enter jointly into a contract with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to study and report on disaster area health and environmental protection and monitoring. Amends: (1) the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to extend to September 30, 2010, the authority for the predisaster hazard mitigation program; and (2) the Public Health Service Act to authorize the use of preventive health services block grants for community outreach and education programs and other activities designed to address and prevent health and health care disparities.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Strengthening Public Health Protections in Major Disasters and Emergencies Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Jefferson, William J. [D-LA-2] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-109hr6399.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/109/hr>

Record fed-us-cong109-hr6399 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong109 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong109