Aerial Transport and High Consequence Infectious Diseases Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10797 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                               H. R. 10797

  To direct the Secretary of the Air Force to carry out a program to 
provide for the safe, long-range aerial transport of individuals known 
    to be infected, or suspected of infection, by high-consequence 
                          infectious diseases.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 13, 2026

  Mr. Bacon introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
  To direct the Secretary of the Air Force to carry out a program to 
provide for the safe, long-range aerial transport of individuals known 
    to be infected, or suspected of infection, by high-consequence 
                          infectious diseases.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Aerial Transport and High 
Consequence Infectious Diseases Act''.

SEC. 2. AERIAL TRANSPORT AND DEPARTMENT-WIDE CAPABILITY FOR HIGH-
              CONSEQUENCE INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

    (a) Requirement.--Beginning not later than October 1, 2027, the 
Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Assistant 
Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Secretaries of the other 
military departments, and the Director of the Defense Health Agency, 
shall carry out a Department program to provide for the safe, long-
range aerial transport of individuals known to be or suspected of 
infection by high-consequence infectious diseases.
    (b) Aerial Transport Component.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
ensure that the program under subsection (a) serves as the component of 
the Department of Defense that--
            (1) provides the Department with aerial transport of 
        patients with high-consequence infectious diseases; and
            (2) provides support to other departments and equivalent 
        program agencies of the Federal Government, State and local 
        governments, and civilian and academic partners, as determined 
        appropriate by the Secretary.
    (c) Program Requirements.--In carrying out the program under 
subsection (a), the Secretary of the Air Force shall--
            (1) develop and maintain a curriculum, and identify 
        qualified instructors to train and certify Department of 
        Defense medical personnel, on procedures associated with the 
        safe, long-range aerial transport of patients with high-
        consequence infectious diseases;
            (2) establish, and periodically update Department medical 
        care standards, infection prevention and control measures, and 
        operational safety protocols necessary to maximize patient 
        survival and minimize infection risk to aircrew, medical 
        personnel, and support personnel;
            (3) serve as the joint force advocate and executive agent 
        within the Department of Defense for aerial transport of 
        individuals with high-consequence infectious diseases;
            (4) establish standards, sustainment requirements, and 
        lifecycle management processes for personal protective 
        equipment, transport isolation systems, and associated medical 
        equipment used in transporting infected patients;
            (5) develop, in coordination with the Joint Staff, joint 
        doctrine, concepts of operation, and medical force requirements 
        necessary to support a Department of Defense-wide high-
        consequence infectious disease capability, including patient 
        movement, definitive care, and integration across the continuum 
        of care;
            (6) coordinate with the other Secretaries of the military 
        departments and the Director of the Defense Health Agency to 
        inform the organization, training, and equipping of 
        specialized, organized teams capable of conducting high-
        consequence infectious disease patient movement and care in 
        operational, austere, and strategic environments;
            (7) support the Department's role facilitating 
        interoperability and operational integration with other 
        departments and agencies of the Federal Government, State and 
        local governments, and civilian and academic partners to enable 
        coordinated response to tactical incidents, large-scale 
        contingencies, and research activities related to emerging and 
        future infectious disease threats; and
            (8) identify Department wide capability gaps and support 
        research, development, testing, and evaluation of medical 
        countermeasures, transport systems, protective equipment, and 
        operational procedures necessary to improve survivability, 
        safety, and mission effectiveness in high-consequence 
        infectious disease operations.
    (d) Enterprise Doctrine and Oversight.--The Secretary of Defense 
shall develop and maintain Department of Defense-wide doctrine and 
policy to guide the development, fielding, sustainment, and employment 
of high-consequence infectious disease response capabilities across the 
Department.
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