Senators Schmitt and Lee Introduce Bill Aimed at Rebuilding Trust in Public Health Institutions 

WASHINGTON – Recently, Senator Eric Schmitt and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced The Public Health Improvement Act. This bill would institute key reforms to the leadership of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and their jurisdictions to rebuild the trust of the American people in their public health institutions. 

“The mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic, the draconian mandates, and the stifling of free speech brought the American people’s trust in public health institutions to an all-time low. That’s why I introduced The Public Health Improvement Act, which would limit the terms of the CDC and NIH directors, as well as narrow the CDC’s focus by removing noncommunicable diseases from its strategic planning scope. These key changes will help ensure Congressional oversight of the CDC and NIH, as well as begin the rebuilding of trust in these institutions,” said Senator Eric Schmitt. 

Background

The Public Health Improvement Act aims to rebuild trust in our public health institutions by:  

• Limiting the terms of both the CDC and NIH directors to a maximum of 12 years.
• Narrowing the CDC’s focus by removing noncommunicable diseases, injuries, and environmental hazards from its strategic planning scope.
• Altering the composition of the CDC Director’s Advisory Committee to include members appointed by Congressional leaders and the Comptroller General.
• Restricting the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to enforcing public health regulations solely for communicable diseases.
• Requiring congressional approval to renew public health emergency declarations beyond 90 days.
• Transferring multiple non-infectious-disease-related CDC offices, including those focused on chronic disease, environmental health, and occupational safety, to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Click here to read full text of the bill.

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