How is CRA meeting the requirements for PAHPA and HSPD-21?
In December 2006, Congress passed and the President signed the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA). This Act provided new authorities for a number of programs, including the advanced development and acquisition of medical countermeasures; and called for the establishment of a quadrennial National Health Security Strategy. On October 18, 2007, the White House released Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21 (HSPD-21) establishing a National Strategy for Public Health and Medical Preparedness. This directive is an important and commendable development in national bio-defense policy. It offers clear strategic direction and is in keeping with the best professional judgments of many medical, public health, disaster response, and community engagement experts in and out of government. HSPD 21 establishes a Public Health and Medical Preparedness Task Force that comprises: The Secretaries of HHS, Homeland Security, Defense, State, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Transportation,
