Foodborne Illness Rapid Response Act
Latest action (30 Jul 2026): Introduced
What this bill does
H.R. 9981, the Foodborne Illness Rapid Response Act, would amend the Food Safety Modernization Act to bar the Secretary of Health and Human Services from carrying out staffing cuts at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) divisions responsible for foodborne disease surveillance and outbreak response. The prohibition would apply for one year following a multi-state or nationally significant foodborne illness outbreak. A "covered staffing reduction effort" is defined as any agency action—such as a formal reduction in force or a reorganization—that removes 1 percent or more of the total employees at each affected division within a 60-day period.
The bill primarily affects the CDC and the HHS Secretary's authority over agency staffing decisions. It is intended to preserve the government's capacity to respond to and monitor foodborne illness outbreaks by preventing significant workforce reductions in the relevant CDC divisions during the year after such an outbreak occurs. The practical effect would be to limit the Secretary's flexibility to downsize or reorganize these specific units during that period.
The bill was introduced on July 30, 2026, by Rep. Josh Gottheimer, with Rep. Don Bacon as a cosponsor, and has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. As a newly introduced bill, it would need to be considered and approved by that committee, then pass the full House and the Senate, and be signed by the President before becoming law. No further action has yet been taken.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
This bill is in the first stage of the legislative process. It was introduced into Congress on July 30, 2026. It will typically be considered by committee next before it is possibly sent on to the House or Senate as a whole.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 9981 do?
- H.R. 9981, the Foodborne Illness Rapid Response Act, would amend the Food Safety Modernization Act to bar the Secretary of Health and Human Services from carrying out staffing cuts at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) divisions responsible for foodborne disease surveillance and outbreak response. The prohibition would apply for one year following a multi-state or nationally significant foodborne illness outbreak. A "covered staffing reduction effort" is defined as any agency action—such as a formal reduction in force or a reorganization—that removes 1 percent or more of the total employees at each affected division within a 60-day period. The bill primarily affects the CDC and the HHS Secretary's authority over agency staffing decisions. It is intended to preserve the government's capacity to respond to and monitor foodborne illness outbreaks by preventing significant workforce reductions in the relevant CDC divisions during the year after such an outbreak occurs. The practical effect would be to limit the Secretary's flexibility to downsize or reorganize these specific units during that period. The bill was introduced on July 30, 2026, by Rep. Josh Gottheimer, with Rep. Don Bacon as a cosponsor, and has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. As a newly introduced bill, it would need to be considered and approved by that committee, then pass the full House and the Senate, and be signed by the President before becoming law. No further action has yet been taken.
- Has H.R. 9981 become law?
- Not yet. As of 30 Jul 2026, H.R. 9981 is introduced.
- Who sponsored H.R. 9981?
- H.R. 9981 was sponsored by Rep. Josh Gottheimer [D-NJ5] (Democrat-NJ), with 1 cosponsor.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 9981?
- Introduced (30 Jul 2026).
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