PUBLIC LAW 107-188-^JUNE 12, 2002 116 STAT. 609 SEC. 108. WORKING GROUP. Section 319F of the Public Health Service Act, as amended by section 104(a), is amended by striking subsection (a) and 42 USC 247d-6. inserting the following: "(a) WORKING GROUP ON BIOTERRORISM AND OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES.— "(1) IN GENERAL.— The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Attorney General, the Director of Central Intelligence, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Energy, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and with other similar Federal officials as determined appropriate, shall establish a working group on the prevention, preparedness, and response to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies. Such joint working group, or subcommittees thereof, shall meet periodically for the purpose of consultation on, assisting in, and making recommendations on— "(A) responding to a bioterrorist attack, including the provision of appropriate safety and health training and protective measures for medical, emergency service, and other personnel responding to such attacks; "(B) prioritizing countermeasures required to treat, prevent, or identify exposure to a biological agent or toxin pursuant to section 35lA; "(C) facilitation of the awarding of grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements for the development, manufacture, distribution, supply-chain management, and purchase of priority countermeasures; "(D) research on pathogens likely to be used in a biological threat or attack on the civilian population; "(E) development of shared standards for equipment to detect and to protect against biological agents and toxins; "(F) assessment of the priorities for and enhancement of the preparedness of public health institutions, providers of medical care, and other emergency service personnel (including firefighters) to detect, diagnose, and respond (including mental health response) to a biological threat or attack; "(G) in the recognition that medical and public health professionals are likely to provide much of the first response to such an attack, development and enhancement of the quality of joint planning and training programs that address the public health and medical consequences of a biological threat or attack on the civilian population between— "(i) local firefighters, ambulance personnel, police and public seciuity officers, or other emergency response personnel (including private response contractors); and "(ii) hospitals, primary CEire facilities, and public health agencies; "(H) development of strategies for Federal, State, and local agencies to communicate information to the public regarding biologicgJ threats or attacks;
�
