article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Public Health Coordinating Council Act''. SEC. 2. NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH COORDINATING COUNCIL. (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary''), acting in collaboration with the Surgeon General, shall establish a National Public Health Coordinating Council (referred to in this section as the ``Council'') to facilitate and strengthen sustained communication and coordination across Federal agencies and offices regarding public health and to review and make recommendations concerning adequate and needed socio-economic and environmental policies to reduce health disparities and improve the public's health. (b) Composition.--The Council shall be composed of-- (1) the heads of each Federal department or agency (or their designees) that administers a program related to, or affected by, public health policies and projects (including medical and population-based public health programs), including the Secretary, the Surgeon General, the heads of the institutes and agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services, the heads of those Centers for Disease Control and Prevention centers determined appropriate by the Secretary, and the heads of other Federal departments and agencies, including the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense, the Department of Education, the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Transportation; (2) representatives from each of the 10 regional health offices of the Department of Health and Human Services, who shall provide a State, local, and tribal perspective; (3) health advisors or other members of the President's domestic policy and domestic security councils; (4) public health experts who are not employed by the Federal Government, of whom-- (A) two individuals shall be appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate upon the recommendation of the Majority Leader of the Senate, after consultation with the Chairman of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; (B) two individuals shall be appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate upon the recommendation of the Minority Leader of the Senate, after consultation with the ranking minority member of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; (C) three individuals shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, after consultation with the Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives; and (D) three individuals shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, after consultation with the ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives; and (5) other individuals determined appropriate by the Secretary or the co-chairpersons of the Council. (c) Administrative Provisions.-- (1) Chairperson.--The Surgeon General and the Assistant Secretary for Health shall serve as the co-chairpersons of the Council. (2) Terms.--Members of the Council appointed under subsection (b)(4) shall serve for a term of 2 years and members appointed under subsection (b)(5) shall serve for a term of 3 years, except that the initial terms of the members appointed under subsection (b)(4) shall be staggered. Such members may be reappointed for one or more additional term. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term shall be appointed for the remainder of such term. A member may serve after the expiration of the member's term until a successor has taken office. (3) Meetings.--The Council shall meet at the call of the chairperson, but not fewer than 2 times each year. All meetings of the Council shall be public and shall include appropriate time periods for questions and presentations by the public. (4) Subcommittees; establishment and membership.--In carrying out its functions, the Council may establish subcommittees and convene workshops and conferences. Such subcommittees shall be composed of Council members and may hold such meetings as are necessary to enable the subcommittees to carry out their duties. (5) Support.--The Council shall receive necessary and appropriate administrative and other support from the Secretary, including the detailing of Department of Health and Human Services staff. The heads of the Federal entities represented on the Council shall share information, data, resources, and staff as appropriate. (d) Duties.--The Secretary shall determine the duties of the Council, which shall at a minimum include-- (1) reviewing existing Federal health programs and policies, the Federal administration of such programs, and whether such program provide for the availability of equitable public health services across communities; (2) making recommendations for the modification of such Federal programs and policies to improve public health; (3) making recommendations for the funding of such Federal programs at levels that would improve public health; (4) seeking to strengthen the impact of Federal public health efforts by improving interagency collaboration and promoting a dialogue on broad public health issues; (5) making recommendations to improve the efficiency of Federal health programs; (6) providing for the demonstration of Federal health leadership through the activities of the council; (7) improving Federal communication regarding health programs and policies through-- (A) the sharing of health-related information, knowledge, and data and the identification of gaps in comparable data and knowledge needed to improve the public's health; and (B) the facilitation of new health-related partnerships, and enhancing existing networks across Federal agencies; (8) identifying needed technical assistance to State and local public health agencies; and (9) carrying out other activities determined appropriate by the Council to improve public health. (e) Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which the Council is established, and biennially thereafter, the Council shall submit to the President, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, a report that contains-- (1) a description of the demonstrated strategic collaboration among Federal entities with respect to health programs and policies; (2) a summary of any evidence of improvements in communication and collaboration between such Federal entities with respect to Federal health programs and policies; (3) a description of any improvements in efficiencies of activities by such Federal entities with respect to such health programs and policies; (4) a description of the impact on public health of any modifications to such Federal programs and policies made as a result of the activities of the Council; (5) a description of progress made in meeting national health objectives and the public health infrastructure required to meet such objectives; and (6) recommendations for policies and programs to reduce health disparities. (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, such sums as may be necessary.
summary: Public Health Coordinating Council Act - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a National Public Health Coordinating Council to: (1) facilitate and strengthen sustained communication and coordination across federal agencies and offices regarding public health; and (2) review and make recommendations concerning socioeconomic and environmental policies to reduce health disparities and improve the public's health. Requires the Secretary to determine the duties of the Council, which shall include: (1) reviewing existing federal health programs and policies for the availability of equitable public health services across communities; (2) making recommendations for the modification of such federal programs and policies to improve public health; and (3) seeking to strengthen the impact of federal public health efforts by improving interagency collaboration and promoting a dialogue on broad public health issues.