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Tracking COVID–19 Variants Act

Introduced: February 4, 2021 Introduced by: Baldwin, Tammy Democratic · Wisconsin See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 117th Congress ended
It never became law before the 117th Congress (2021–2022) 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 4, 2021
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Feb 4, 2021
Introduced in Senate
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Tracking COVID-19 Variants Act

This bill expands viral genomic sequencing, disease surveillance, and other public health research activities.

Specifically, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) must issue guidance on the sequencing of the virus that causes COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Additionally, the CDC must establish a program to strengthen genomic sequencing, analytics, and disease surveillance activities. As part of this program, the CDC must provide grants and technical assistance to health departments to build their capacity to carry out such activities.

Furthermore, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) must carry out a demonstration program to expand an existing program that links different federal data sets for statistical public health research, including research on food insecurity, housing instability, and other social determinants of health. In particular, the program must support linkages with the National Death Index, a database of death records maintained by the NCHS.

What's happening now February 4, 2021

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • HR 791 Identical bill Tracking COVID–19 Variants Act
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 8
All 8 Democratic 7 Independent 1
I
King, Angus S., Jr.
Maine · Feb 25, 2021
 D
Rosen, Jacky
Nevada · Feb 22, 2021
 D
Smith, Tina
Minnesota · Feb 22, 2021
 D
Warren, Elizabeth
Massachusetts · Feb 22, 2021
 D
Blumenthal, Richard
Connecticut · Feb 4, 2021
 D
Klobuchar, Amy
Minnesota · Feb 4, 2021
 D
Markey, Edward J.
Massachusetts · Feb 4, 2021
 D
Peters, Gary C.
Michigan · Feb 4, 2021
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 236: Tracking COVID–19 Variants Act. 117th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-236/
MLA
"S. 236: Tracking COVID–19 Variants Act." 117th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-236/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 236, 117th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-236/.
Markdown link
[S. 236: Tracking COVID–19 Variants Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-236/)
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