Eric Swalwell Introduces Bills To Treat Pandemics Like National Security Threats

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) has introduced 2 pieces of authorities that would amended the mode the US prepares for pandemics.

The Two Bills Would Treat Pandemics Like National Security Threats

Rep. Swalwell’s bureau elaborate the authorities successful a connection provided to PoliticusUSA:

TheNational Security Council Modernization Act of 2021would springiness the Secretary of Health and Human Services a spot connected the National Security Council (NSC), portion besides strengthening the assembly against the anticipation of statesmanlike politicization. TheBiosecurity Information Optimization for Defense (BIO Defense) Act of 2021would fortify the National Biodefense Strategy (NBS) truthful we tin amended hole and respond arsenic good arsenic combat wellness misinformation.

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TheBIO Defense Actwould amended the NBS, a bipartisan program enacted successful 2016 arsenic portion of theNational Defense Authorization Act,by formalizing a National Biodefense Directorate including the Vice President and section secretaries. This entity would beryllium required to conscionable regularly, prosecute staff, and found azygous information postulation methods truthful it tin continually update the NBS to code the nationalist information risks posed by pandemics.

Importantly, the measure would necessitate the Directorate to make a National Strategy Combating Biodefense Misinformation to marque definite our national authorities is prepared to get the best-available nationalist wellness accusation to the American radical rapidly and efficaciously successful times of crisis. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy connected Thursday declared pandemic misinformation “an urgent menace to nationalist health.”

Eric Swalwell’s Legislation Would Protect American Lives

Rep. Swalwell said, “The COVID-19 pandemic showed america that nationalist wellness misinformation – peculiarly connected societal media – tin jeopardize America’s effect to biologic threats, unnecessarily putting radical successful harm’s way. Knowledge is powerfulness during a pandemic, and authorities indispensable actively beforehand fact-based accusation – portion actively debunking and preventing the dispersed of lies, beryllium they deliberate oregon panic-induced – to prevention lives.”

While we combat to flooded the existent pandemic, it is important that policymakers larn the lessons of COVID-19 and marque definite that the United States is amended prepared for the adjacent pandemic.

The Biden medication is combatting the pandemic and vaccine misinformation being dispersed by Republicans, conservative media, conspiracy theorists, and others connected societal media.

If Swalwell’s authorities became law, determination is nary uncertainty that it would prevention lives. Pandemics are a nationalist information issue, and America needs to beryllium amended prepared.