Tracking Pathogens Act
The source supplies the latest action, but no lifecycle stage.
Latest action (31 Jan 2022): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
What this bill does
The Tracking Pathogens Act would direct the Department of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to issue guidance supporting collaboration on genomic sequencing of pathogens—including new technologies for detecting, characterizing, and sequencing pathogens—while protecting personal privacy under existing federal and state law. It would also add a new section to the Public Health Service Act establishing a formal Genomic Sequencing, Analytics, and Public Health Surveillance of Pathogens Program. This program would expand efforts to identify emerging infectious disease threats, provide technical assistance to state, tribal, local, and territorial health departments, train the public health workforce in genomics and bioinformatics, and fund partnerships and "centers of excellence" with academic institutions and laboratories to advance pathogen genomics research.
The bill primarily affects federal public health agencies (CDC and HHS), state and local health departments, academic and private laboratories, and the broader public health workforce involved in disease surveillance. Its provisions could also indirectly affect the general public through improved capacity to detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks. The bill authorizes $175 million annually for fiscal years 2023 through 2027 to support these activities.
S. 3534 was introduced in the Senate on January 31, 2022, by Senator Tammy Baldwin, with Senator Bill Cassidy as a cosponsor, and was referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. According to the Congressional Research Service, the bill itself did not advance further as standalone legislation; instead, its provisions were incorporated into other bills that were subsequently enacted into law.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Tracking Pathogens Act
This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to take specified actions related to the genomic sequencing of pathogens.
Specifically, the CDC must issue guidance on sharing specimens and other activities to support collaboration in the genomic sequencing of pathogens.
The CDC must also strengthen and expand activities related to the use of genomic sequencing of pathogens in public health surveillance, including by providing technical assistance to health departments. The CDC may award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to academic and other laboratories related to these activities.
In addition, the CDC must establish through public health agencies (or partnerships of such agencies) centers of excellence to promote innovation in pathogen genomics and molecular epidemiology.
Timeline
31 Jan 2022
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Common questions
- What does S. 3534 do?
- The Tracking Pathogens Act would direct the Department of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to issue guidance supporting collaboration on genomic sequencing of pathogens—including new technologies for detecting, characterizing, and sequencing pathogens—while protecting personal privacy under existing federal and state law. It would also add a new section to the Public Health Service Act establishing a formal Genomic Sequencing, Analytics, and Public Health Surveillance of Pathogens Program. This program would expand efforts to identify emerging infectious disease threats, provide technical assistance to state, tribal, local, and territorial health departments, train the public health workforce in genomics and bioinformatics, and fund partnerships and "centers of excellence" with academic institutions and laboratories to advance pathogen genomics research. The bill primarily affects federal public health agencies (CDC and HHS), state and local health departments, academic and private laboratories, and the broader public health workforce involved in disease surveillance. Its provisions could also indirectly affect the general public through improved capacity to detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks. The bill authorizes $175 million annually for fiscal years 2023 through 2027 to support these activities. S. 3534 was introduced in the Senate on January 31, 2022, by Senator Tammy Baldwin, with Senator Bill Cassidy as a cosponsor, and was referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. According to the Congressional Research Service, the bill itself did not advance further as standalone legislation; instead, its provisions were incorporated into other bills that were subsequently enacted into law.
- Has S. 3534 become law?
- The source does not supply a confirmed lifecycle stage for S. 3534. Check the latest action and official source below.
- Who sponsored S. 3534?
- S. 3534 was sponsored by Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI] (D-WI), with 1 cosponsor.
- What's the latest action on S. 3534?
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (31 Jan 2022).
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