H.R. 6377 · 117th Congress
Free At-Home Tests for All Act
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 117th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
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BeyerSponsor11 cosponsors · 11 D
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Kahele
JM
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Morelle
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Titus
RR
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Ruiz
GM
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Moore
EN
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Norton
SB
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Bishop
EB
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Blumenauer
MD
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Dean
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Peters
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DeSaulnier3 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide free antigen diagnostic tests for COVID-19 (i.e., rapid tests) to U.S. residents. The bill also automatically grants emergency use authorization for rapid tests approved by certain foreign regulators.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Jan 12, 2022
Free At-Home Tests for All Act
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide free antigen diagnostic tests for COVID-19 (i.e., rapid tests) to U.S. residents. The bill also automatically grants emergency use authorization for rapid tests approved by certain foreign regulators.
Specifically, HHS must purchase a sufficient quantity of rapid tests to provide two tests per week at no cost to each resident for the 12 months following the bill's enactment. The President may use authorities available under the Defense Production Act of 1950 to obtain the tests. That act confers upon the President a broad set of authorities to influence domestic industry in order to provide essential materials and goods needed for the national defense.
In addition, HHS must conduct outreach about the availability of free rapid tests to Medicare and Medicaid participants and make the tests available through those programs.
The bill also automatically grants emergency use authorization during the public health emergency for rapid tests that are listed for emergency use by (1) the World Health Organization (WHO), or (2) a foreign regulator that is a stringent regulatory authority as defined by the WHO for purposes of medicine procurement. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may rescind authority for, or otherwise regulate, a rapid test that was automatically authorized.
Additionally, the FDA must establish a permanent advisory committee focused on diagnostic and serological testing for public health needs.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Free At-Home Tests for All Act
Latest action (Jan 13, 2022): Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Policy area: Health · Origin: House · Introduced: Jan 12, 2022
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.