By Mary Beth Spencer, Director of Government Affairs
In June, leaders from across the healthcare distribution industry convened in Washington, D.C. for HIDA’s first in-person Washington Summit in three years. The Washington Summit is our opportunity to engage with Members of Congress and their staff.
At the opening breakfast of the Washington Summit, HIDA honored Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) as the recipient of the Preparedness Policy Excellence Award. Throughout his career, Senator Burr has been a leader in preparedness, including the 2006 passage of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), which created the modern framework for responding to pandemics, biothreats, and natural disasters.
“I have spent my career writing preparedness legislation that we hope we never have to use,” Senator Burr said. “As we chart our way out of COVID, we need to update our preparedness plans for this decade and the decade to come.”
Following breakfast, healthcare distribution advocates fanned out across Capitol Hill for more than 115 meetings with Senators and Representatives – both Republicans and Democrats – from 40 states. In a series of meetings, we discussed a variety of legislative issues to boost preparedness and streamline the medical supply chain.
- PREVENT Pandemics Act: This bipartisan legislation strengthens the nation’s public health and medical preparedness and response systems in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The PREVENT Pandemics Act recognizes the vital role of public-private partnerships in managing medical supplies during a pandemic, by incorporating a vendor-managed inventory component into the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS).
- Ocean Shipping Reform Act: HIDA applauded Congressional passage of the most comprehensive maritime legislation in 40 years. The new law empowers the Federal Maritime Commission to combat unfair trade practices in the shipping industry and addresses price gouging on container shipping fees by ocean carriers.
- Fast Pass: A Fast Pass Critical Cargo Pilot Program for Medical Supplies would authorize federal agencies to partner with ports and marine terminal operators to identify critical cargo and expedite its movement through the ports and across all modes of transportation.
- Strengthening America’s Strategic National Stockpile Act: A bill to boost domestic manufacturing to diversify sources of personal protective equipment (PPE). Provisions of this bill were incorporated into the bipartisan innovation package.
HIDA greatly appreciates the enthusiasm and dedication of our member advocates, who are crucial to making our industry heard on Capitol Hill. As we continue our efforts to educate Congress about the value of distribution, the contributions of the health distribution industry remain invaluable.