Ranking Member Cassidy Delivers Remarks During Committee Markup of PAHPA Reauthorization

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, delivered remarks during today’s markup to reauthorize the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA).

Click here to watch the markup live. 

Cassidy’s speech as prepared for delivery can be found below:

Thank you, Chair Sanders.

Today, we are discussing the reauthorization of the bipartisan Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act, or PAHPA.

Congress has historically acted in a bipartisan manner to reauthorize this law. I am proud to say we are on track to continue this tradition.

I thank Chair Sanders, Senator Romney, Senator Casey, and all my colleagues for their work on this important legislation. It is our responsibility to make sure crucial programs, like those in PAHPA, are properly evaluated and improved to benefit fellow Americans.

PAHPA was first enacted in 2006, in the aftermath of the failures in the federal response to Hurricane Katrina. 

PAHPA sought to support states, local governments, and hospitals so they would be better prepared for future emergencies. It established the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, or the ASPR (“As-per”) and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, BARDA. It also made improvements to the Strategic National Stockpile so that vaccines, treatments, and tests would be readily available during an emergency.

As we saw during COVID-19, the PAHPA framework is far from perfect. Poor management and maintenance of the Strategic National Stockpile meant that doctors and nurses were forced to use expired personal protective equipment (PPE). Government bureaucracy hampered the private sector’s ability to quickly launch tests at the beginning of the pandemic. Bureaucracy also got in the way of clear communication between federal officials and the public.

During COVID-19, mistakes were made, but tough lessons were learned. We’re here to ensure that future generations are not forced to learn on the fly should another crisis occur. We need to update the playbook and ensure our framework remains flexible to address future threats such as hurricanes. 

This legislation includes policies to increase accountability and ensure Americans’ tax dollars are used effectively.

It improves transparency and promotes better partnerships with states, localities, and industry so each has the ability to better respond to crises.

It strengthens our ability to prevent and mitigate drug shortages, focused on the types of shortages that are most likely to occur during an emergency.

Lastly, the legislation strengthens the federal government’s ability to invest in innovative technologies to respond to new and emerging threats.

This is a major step forward in improving our readiness towards the next pandemic, natural disaster, attack, or accident that puts Americans’ health and safety at risk. 

This bill also demonstrates what can happen when we work together on bipartisan reauthorizations.

I thank my colleagues for their collaboration, and I look forward to today’s markup.

Thank you.

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