Skip to main content
S 2291 109th Congress Senate Health Administrative procedure Americans in foreign countries Armed Forces and National Security Armed forces abroad Biological warfare Civil actions and liability Commerce Compensation (Law) Damages Department of Health and Human Services Drug industry Economics and Public Finance Emergency Management Emergency medicine Epidemics Federal preemption Government Operations and Politics Government liability Government trust funds

Responsible Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act

Introduced: February 15, 2006 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 109th Congress ended
It never became law before the 109th Congress (2005–2006) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Feb 15, 2006
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1361-1363)
Feb 15, 2006
Introduced in Senate
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Responsible Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act - Repeals the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (Division C of the Department of Defense, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006).

Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish the Biodefense Injury Compensation Program to provide compensation for death or any injury, illness, disability, or condition that is likely to have been caused by the administration of a covered countermeasure pursuant to a declaration by the Secretary of Health and Human Services that an actual or potential bioterrorist incident or public health emergency makes such administration to a category of individuals advisable.

Requires the Secretary: (1) after making such a declaration, to enter into a contract for the Institute of Medicine to provide its recommendations on the injuries, disabilities, illnesses, and conditions likely to have been caused by the countermeasure; and (2) after receiving such recommendations, to specify those injuries, disabilities, illnesses, and conditions deemed to be included in the Vaccine Injury Table.

Sets the effective date for such Program as November 25, 2002.

Extends liability protection for health professionals administering small pox countermeasures to include covered countermeasures under this Act. Excludes from such protection the administration by a qualified person of a covered countermeasure to an individual who was not within a category of individuals covered by the declaration where such qualified person did not have reasonable grounds to believe such individual was within a category.

Makes the United States liable for any claims arising out of the manufacture, distribution, or administration of a covered countermeasure, including claims brought by U.S. military personnel.

What's happening now February 15, 2006

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1361-1363)

 Related & companion bills 2
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 2291: Responsible Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-2291/
MLA
"S. 2291: Responsible Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-2291/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 2291, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-2291/.
Markdown link
[S. 2291: Responsible Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-2291/)
Report a problem