Congress must reauthorize the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act

June 16, 2026 - 05:26

America's next health emergency will not wait for Washington to get its act together, according to two former public health officials. W. Craig Vanderwagen and Jennifer B. Alton argue that the clock is ticking on the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act, a critical piece of legislation that is currently stalled in Congress. This law, first passed in 2006, provides the legal framework and funding for the nation's ability to respond to everything from a novel virus to a chemical attack. Without its reauthorization, key programs that develop medical countermeasures, support state and local health departments, and maintain the Strategic National Stockpile could face disruptions.

The authors stress that the threat landscape has only grown more complex since the law was last updated. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep cracks in the system, but it also showed what is possible when federal agencies have the tools and authority to move quickly. Letting the act expire would be a self-inflicted wound. Vanderwagen and Alton point out that reauthorization is not a partisan issue; it is about basic national security. They urge lawmakers to set aside political squabbles and pass a clean bill that keeps the infrastructure intact. The next crisis is not a question of if, but when, and the country cannot afford to rebuild its defenses from scratch in the middle of an outbreak.