Aerial Transport and High Consequence Infectious Diseases Act

Don Bacon

Republican · NE · Representative

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

No cosponsors on record. Bills can pass without cosponsors — this often means the sponsor introduced the bill alone, either because it's a messaging bill, a chairman's mark, or simply early in the legislative cycle.

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

2026-10-13

Source: Congress.gov

Plain-English summary pending. Introduced on 2026-10-13. Check back soon — summaries are generated as bills progress through Congress.

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

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