Presidential Documents
Executive Order 13996 of January 21, 2021
Establishing the COVID–19 Pandemic Testing Board and Ensuring a Sustainable Public Health Workforce for COVID–19 and Other Biological Threats
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration to control coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID–19) by using a Government-wide, unified approach that includes: establishing a national COVID–19 testing and public health workforce strategy; working to expand the supply of tests; working to bring test manufacturing to the United States, where possible; working to enhance laboratory testing capacity; working to expand the public health workforce; supporting screening testing for schools and priority populations; and ensuring a clarity of messaging about the use of tests and insurance coverage.
Sec. 2. COVID–19 Pandemic Testing Board.
(a) Establishment and Membership. There is established a COVID–19 Pandemic Testing Board (Testing Board), chaired by the Coordinator of the COVID–19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID–19 Response Coordinator) or his designee. The Testing Board shall include representatives from executive departments and agencies (agencies) that are designated by the President. The heads of agencies so designated shall designate officials from their respective agencies to represent them on the Testing Board.
(b) Mission and Functions. To support the implementation and oversight of the policy laid out in section 1 of this order, the Testing Board shall:
- coordinate Federal Government efforts to promote COVID–19 diagnostic, screening, and surveillance testing;
- make recommendations to the President with respect to prioritizing the Federal Government’s assistance to State, local, Tribal, and territorial authorities, in order to expand testing and reduce disparities in access to testing;
- identify barriers to access and use of testing in, and coordinate Federal Government efforts to increase testing for:
- priority populations, including healthcare workers and other essential workers;
- communities with major shortages in testing availability and use;
- at-risk settings, including long-term care facilities, correctional facilities, immigration custodial settings, detention facilities, schools, child care settings, and food processing and manufacturing facilities; and
- high-risk groups, including people experiencing homelessness, migrants, and seasonal workers;
- identify methods to expand State, local, Tribal, and territorial capacity to conduct testing, contact tracing, and isolation and quarantine, in order for schools, businesses, and travel to be conducted safely;
- provide guidance on how to enhance the clarity, consistency, and transparency of Federal Government communication with the public about the goals and purposes of testing;
