Washington, DC -- U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) introduced the bipartisan Pandemic Rapid Response Act, which establishes a true bipartisan commission to analyze our nation's response and make recommendations to better prepare our country for any future pandemic. The bill is closely modeled after the establishment of the 9/11 commission.
"While our focus now is on helping Americans through this pandemic, we are going to need to look at our response, without finger pointing or politics, to see what we've learned from the first pandemic I've experienced in my lifetime," said Davis. "I've worked to ensure this bill is bipartisan, that the commission itself is not swayed to one party or the other, and that the administration is brought in. This commission will also engage the international community to determine the impact the response of other countries had on the U.S. The only way this country is going to get the answers we need is if create a true bipartisan commission and this bill does that."
Davis introduced this bill with the following cosponsors: U.S. Reps. David Trone (MD-06), Jeff Van Drew (NJ-02), Fred Upton (MI-06), Peter King (NY-02), Jeff Fortenberry (NE-01), Joe Wilson (SC-02), Mike Simpson (ID-02, Don Young (AK-At-large), Frank Lucas (OK-03), David Joyce (OH-14), Dusty Johnson (SD-At-large), and John Moolenaar (MI-04).
The Pandemic Rapid Response Act:
It's equally bipartisan: Establishes the National Commission on the COVID-19 Pandemic, which would be made up of 10 experts (a chair and vice chair chosen by House and Senate leadership as well as 8 other members that will be chosen on a bipartisan basis) from fields like governmental service, biological science, higher education, and medicine including hospital experts and administrators.
The President is brought in: To ensure the administration has a say in the process, the President will have the ability to make at least one appointment to the commission.
Creates a national plan: The commission will analyze and make recommendations to the President and Congress regarding a comprehensive national plan to respond to future global and national viral outbreaks and medical emergencies in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Look at the impact other countries had on the U.S.: Additionally, the commission will build on reports from the intelligence community as well as other information and investigations that have been conducted by various federal agencies, Congressional committees, and international organizations, like the World Health Organization.
