S. 1854: Medical Surge Capacity Act

112th Congress · introduced 2011-11-10 · Health · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2011-11-10 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Burr, Richard [R-NC] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. 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

Medical Surge Capacity Act

Plain summary

Medical Surge Capacity Act - Amends title XI (General Provisions) of the Social Security Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to waive or modify certain requirements with respect to health care items and services furnished by a health care provider in a geographical area in which, and in a period during which, one (current law requires both) of the following exists: (1) an emergency or disaster declared by the President pursuant to the National Emergencies Act or the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, or (2) a public health emergency declared by the Secretary. Allows the Secretary to deem an emergency area to include a geographical area into which individuals from the emergency area are evacuated and receiving care. Extends the limitation on the duration of waivers of certain actions under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act and certain sanctions and penalties under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) from 72 to 96 hours beginning upon implementation of a hospital disaster protocol.

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

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Medical Surge Capacity Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Burr, Richard [R-NC] · 6 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

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 (2)

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 Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112s1854.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/s>

Record fed-us-cong112-s1854 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112