Part A - National All-Hazards Preparedness and Response Planning, Coordinating, and Reporting

42 USC 300hh - Public health and medical preparedness and response functions

(a) In general 
The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall lead all Federal public health and medical response to public health emergencies and incidents covered by the National Response Plan developed pursuant to section 314 (6)1 of title 6, or any successor plan.
(b) Interagency agreement 
The Secretary, in collaboration with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the head of any other relevant Federal agency, shall establish an interagency agreement, consistent with the National Response Plan or any successor plan, under which agreement the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall assume operational control of emergency public health and medical response assets, as necessary, in the event of a public health emergency, except that members of the armed forces under the authority of the Secretary of Defense shall remain under the command and control of the Secretary of Defense, as shall any associated assets of the Department of Defense.
[1] See References in Text note below.

42 USC 300hh1 - National Health Security Strategy

(a) In general 

(1) Preparedness and response regarding public health emergencies 
Beginning in 2009 and every four years thereafter, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the relevant committees of Congress a coordinated strategy (to be known as the National Health Security Strategy) and any revisions thereof, and an accompanying implementation plan for public health emergency preparedness and response. Such National Health Security Strategy shall identify the process for achieving the preparedness goals described in subsection (b) and shall be consistent with the National Preparedness Goal, the National Incident Management System, and the National Response Plan developed pursuant to section 314 (6)1 of title 6, or any successor plan.
(2) Evaluation of progress 
The National Health Security Strategy shall include an evaluation of the progress made by Federal, State, local, and tribal entities, based on the evidence-based benchmarks and objective standards that measure levels of preparedness established pursuant to section 247d–3a (g) of this title. Such evaluation shall include aggregate and State-specific breakdowns of obligated funding spent by major category (as defined by the Secretary) for activities funded through awards pursuant to sections 247d–3a and 247d–3b of this title.
(3) Public health workforce 
In 2009, the National Health Security Strategy shall include a national strategy for establishing an effective and prepared public health workforce, including defining the functions, capabilities, and gaps in such workforce, and identifying strategies to recruit, retain, and protect such workforce from workplace exposures during public health emergencies.
(b) Preparedness goals 
The National Health Security Strategy shall include provisions in furtherance of the following:
(1) Integration 
Integrating public health and public and private medical capabilities with other first responder systems, including through
(A) the periodic evaluation of Federal, State, local, and tribal preparedness and response capabilities through drills and exercises; and
(B) integrating public and private sector public health and medical donations and volunteers.
(2) Public health 
Developing and sustaining Federal, State, local, and tribal essential public health security capabilities, including the following:
(A) Disease situational awareness domestically and abroad, including detection, identification, and investigation.
(B) Disease containment including capabilities for isolation, quarantine, social distancing, and decontamination.
(C) Risk communication and public preparedness.
(D) Rapid distribution and administration of medical countermeasures.
(3) Medical 
Increasing the preparedness, response capabilities, and surge capacity of hospitals, other health care facilities (including mental health facilities), and trauma care and emergency medical service systems, with respect to public health emergencies, which shall include developing plans for the following:
(A) Strengthening public health emergency medical management and treatment capabilities.
(B) Medical evacuation and fatality management.
(C) Rapid distribution and administration of medical countermeasures.
(D) Effective utilization of any available public and private mobile medical assets and integration of other Federal assets.
(E) Protecting health care workers and health care first responders from workplace exposures during a public health emergency.
(4) At-risk individuals 

(A) Taking into account the public health and medical needs of at-risk individuals in the event of a public health emergency.
(B) For purpose of this section and sections 247d–3a, 247d–6, and 247d–7e of this title, the term at-risk individuals means children, pregnant women, senior citizens and other individuals who have special needs in the event of a public health emergency, as determined by the Secretary.
(5) Coordination 
Minimizing duplication of, and ensuring coordination between, Federal, State, local, and tribal planning, preparedness, and response activities (including the State Emergency Management Assistance Compact). Such planning shall be consistent with the National Response Plan, or any successor plan, and National Incident Management System and the National Preparedness Goal.
(6) Continuity of operations 
Maintaining vital public health and medical services to allow for optimal Federal, State, local, and tribal operations in the event of a public health emergency.
[1] See References in Text note below.

42 USC 300hh2 - Enhancing medical surge capacity

(a) Study of enhancing medical surge capacity 
As part of the joint review described in section 300hh–11 (b) of this title, the Secretary shall evaluate the benefits and feasibility of improving the capacity of the Department of Health and Human Services to provide additional medical surge capacity to local communities in the event of a public health emergency. Such study shall include an assessment of the need for and feasibility of improving surge capacity through
(1) acquisition and operation of mobile medical assets by the Secretary to be deployed, on a contingency basis, to a community in the event of a public health emergency;
(2) integrating the practice of telemedicine within the National Disaster Medical System; and
(3) other strategies to improve such capacity as determined appropriate by the Secretary.
(b) Authority to acquire and operate mobile medical assets 
In addition to any other authority to acquire, deploy, and operate mobile medical assets, the Secretary may acquire, deploy, and operate mobile medical assets if, taking into consideration the evaluation conducted under subsection (a), such acquisition, deployment, and operation is determined to be beneficial and feasible in improving the capacity of the Department of Health and Human Services to provide additional medical surge capacity to local communities in the event of a public health emergency.
(c) Using Federal facilities to enhance medical surge capacity 

(1) Analysis 
The Secretary shall conduct an analysis of whether there are Federal facilities which, in the event of a public health emergency, could practicably be used as facilities in which to provide health care.
(2) Memoranda of understanding 
If, based on the analysis conducted under paragraph (1), the Secretary determines that there are Federal facilities which, in the event of a public health emergency, could be used as facilities in which to provide health care, the Secretary shall, with respect to each such facility, seek to conclude a memorandum of understanding with the head of the Department or agency that operates such facility that permits the use of such facility to provide health care in the event of a public health emergency.