H.R. 6378

Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2018

This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to establish several programs and entities relating to public health emergency preparedness and response, including:

• an interagency advisory panel on health security,
• a dedicated unit within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to address the needs of children during public health emergencies,
• a grant program to support the provision of services by military trauma teams at high-acuity trauma centers, and
• programs to address pandemic influenza and emerging infectious diseases.

The bill also reauthorizes for FY2019-FY2023 and revises several other programs and entities relating to public health emergencies, including the National Disaster Medical System, the Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps, and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.

The bill also expands the responsibilities of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and the scope of the National Health Security Strategy.

ASPR must also develop a strategy to reunify children and parents who were separated at the U.S.-Mexico border under a specified immigration enforcement policy (i.e., the "zero-tolerance" policy) and submit weekly reports on the status and welfare of children awaiting reunification.