Managing American Knowledge and Equipment to Prevent Pandemic Emergencies Act

Managing American Knowledge and Equipment to Prevent Pandemic Emergencies Act or the MAKE PPE Act

This bill addresses federal planning and coordination related to production and distribution of personal protective equipment and other critical nonpharmaceutical supplies during public health emergencies. It also supports efforts to expand domestic manufacturing and production of the materials and incorporates inventory management of the materials in existing grants for community and hospital preparedness.

The bill specifically directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to develop the capacity to coordinate these activities. In addition, FEMA, the Executive Office of the President, and the Department of Health and Human Services must jointly develop, in consultation with relevant federal partners, a protocol for federal procurement and distribution of equipment and supplies during emergencies. They must report to Congress on this protocol.

FEMA must also establish the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response to coordinate, and develop a strategy related to, the procurement and distribution of critical materials. Among other tasks, the office must set up a data repository to track the demand for these materials.

With respect to expanding domestic production, the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs must, subject to some exceptions and waivers, purchase critical nonpharmaceutical materials that are produced domestically. Additionally, the National Institutes of Standards and Technology must award grants for U.S. manufacturers to expand domestic production capacity of critical materials and for entities to develop educational materials to aid the public in making temporary masks and other equipment.