To amend the Public Health Service Act to strike the requirement that the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention be appointed by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
Impact
The amendment is significant as it alters the traditional appointment procedure for one of the most crucial positions in public health. Without Senate confirmation, the appointment process could become faster and less politically influenced, which supporters argue is essential for the CDC to respond swiftly to health crises. This change could lead to a more flexible and responsive health administration, especially in times of emergency when rapid decision-making is necessary.
Summary
House Bill 3820 aims to amend the Public Health Service Act by removing the requirement that the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) be appointed with the advice and consent of the Senate. This change would allow for a more streamlined appointment process, potentially speeding up how quickly a new Director can be put in place following significant health events or leadership changes at the CDC. It reflects a shift towards reducing legislative oversight over federal health appointees and emphasizes operational efficiency in public health management.
Contention
However, this move is not without controversy. Critics of the bill argue that removing the Senate's role in the appointment process diminishes accountability and oversight of the CDC's leadership. They express concerns that this could undermine the independence of the agency, making it more susceptible to political pressures and less capable of carrying out important health initiatives effectively. The debate over this bill encapsulates broader tensions in American governance regarding the balance between efficiency and checks on power in federal health policy.
District of Columbia Courts Judicial Vacancy Reduction Act This bill allows District of Columbia judicial nominees to be appointed after a 30-day congressional review period without the advice and consent of the Senate, unless a joint resolution of disapproval is enacted into law during that period.
To provide for a limitation on availability of funds for Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion for fiscal year 2024.
To provide for a limitation on availability of funds for Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Injury Prevention and Control for fiscal year 2024.
To provide for a limitation on availability of funds for Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Tuberculosis Prevention for fiscal year 2024.
To provide for a limitation on availability of funds for Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Public Health Scientific Studies for fiscal year 2024.
This bill increases from two to three the total number of U.S. district court judgeships for the District of Idaho. The President must appoint, with the advice and consent of the Senate, one additional judge for that judicial district.
To provide for a limitation on availability of funds for Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases for fiscal year 2024.
To provide for a limitation on availability of funds for Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Immunization and Respiratory Diseases for fiscal year 2024.
To provide for a limitation on availability of funds for Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Public Health Preparendness and Response for fiscal year 2024.
This bill nullifies the order issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention titled Amended Order Implementing Presidential Proclamation on Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic and published on April 7, 2022. (The order restricts the entry of noncitizens who are not immigrants into the United States by air travel unless they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or otherwise attest that they will take public health measures to prevent the spread of the disease.) The bill also nullifies any successor or subsequent orders that require foreign persons traveling by air to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of entry and prohibits the use of federal funds to administer or enforce such a requirement.