Bronx U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres is reintroducing legislation to improve the federal government’s handling of public health emergencies, citing concerns over bird flu and measles outbreaks. The bill mandates the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct after-action reviews and enhance communication strategies for at-risk populations.
The Government Accountability Office previously reported HHS lacks a unified strategy, leading to repeated failures during past crises like COVID-19 and mpox. Torres stressed the need for better coordination to ensure rapid response.
He also criticized HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic, calling him unfit to lead the agency. Torres’ bill previously stalled in Congress but aims to address longstanding gaps in emergency preparedness.
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