WORKING GROUP.

SEC. 108. WORKING GROUP. Section 319F of the Public Health Service Act, as amended by section 104(a), is amended by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following: “(a) Working Group on Bioterrorism and Other Public Health Emergencies.— “(1) In general.—The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Attorney General, the Director of Central Intelligence, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Energy, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and with other similar Federal officials as determined appropriate, shall establish a working group on the prevention, preparedness, and response to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies. Such joint working group, or subcommittees thereof, shall meet periodically for the purpose of consultation on, assisting in, and making recommendations on— “(A) responding to a bioterrorist attack, including the provision of appropriate safety and health training and protective measures for medical, emergency service, and other personnel responding to such attacks; “(B) prioritizing countermeasures required to treat, prevent, or identify exposure to a biological agent or toxin pursuant to section 351A; “(C) facilitation of the awarding of grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements for the development, manufacture, distribution, supply-chain management, and purchase of priority countermeasures; “(D) research on pathogens likely to be used in a biological threat or attack on the civilian population; “(E) development of shared standards for equipment to detect and to protect against biological agents and toxins; “(F) assessment of the priorities for and enhancement of the preparedness of public health institutions, providers of medical care, and other emergency service personnel (including firefighters) to detect, diagnose, and respond (including mental health response) to a biological threat or attack; “(G) in the recognition that medical and public health professionals are likely to provide much of the first response to such an attack, development and enhancement of the quality of joint planning and training programs that address the public health and medical consequences of a biological threat or attack on the civilian population between— “(i) local firefighters, ambulance personnel, police and public security officers, or other emergency response personnel (including private response contractors); and “(ii) hospitals, primary care facilities, and public health agencies; “(H) development of strategies for Federal, State, and local agencies to communicate information to the public regarding biological threats or attacks; 116 STAT. 610 “(I) ensuring that the activities under this subsection address the health security needs of children and other vulnerable populations; “(J) strategies for decontaminating facilities contaminated as a result of a biological attack, including appropriate protections for the safety of workers conducting such activities; “(K) subject to compliance with other provisions of Federal law, clarifying the responsibilities among Federal officials for the investigation of suspicious outbreaks of disease and other potential public health emergencies, and for related revisions of the interagency plan known as the Federal response plan; and “(L) in consultation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the U.S. Fire Administration, ways to enhance coordination among Federal agencies involved with State, local, and community based emergency medical services, including issuing a report that— “(i) identifies needs of community-based emergency medical services; and “(ii) identifies ways to streamline and enhance the process through which Federal agencies support community-based emergency medical services. “(2) Consultation with experts.—In carrying out subparagraphs (B) and (C) of paragraph (1), the working group under such paragraph shall consult with the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries, and other appropriate experts. “(3) Use of subcommittees regarding consultation requirements.—With respect to a requirement under law that the working group under paragraph (1) be consulted on a matter, the working group may designate an appropriate subcommittee of the working group to engage in the consultation. “(4) Discretion in exercise of duties.—Determinations made by the working group under paragraph (1) with respect to carrying out duties under such paragraph are matters committed to agency discretion for purposes of section 701(a) of title 5, Unites States Code. “(5) Rule of construction.—This subsection may not be construed as establishing new regulatory authority for any of the officials specified in paragraph (1), or as having any legal effect on any other provision of law, including the responsibilities and authorities of the Environmental Protection Agency.”.