Press Releases

The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved legislation introduced by Congressman Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-Ga.) to establish and expand state strategic stockpiles to prepare for future events like the COVID-19 pandemic.

The legislation establishes a pilot program to award dollar-for-dollar federal matching grants to states to expand or maintain a strategic stockpile of commercially available drugs, medical equipment, personal protective equipment, and other medical products deemed essential in the event of a public health emergency. The state stockpiles will be acquired, managed, and distributed by the state, and will serve to supplement the federal Strategic National Stockpile.

“I applaud the House for passing this very important, bipartisan legislation," said Carter. "The COVID-19 pandemic has made it very clear that we need to be better prepared for future health emergencies. During the pandemic, some states were not prepared to deal with the large influx of patients needing ventilators and other medical products. We also saw countries like China and India withhold therapeutics and pharmaceutical ingredients. This will make sure states are prepared and able to respond quickly by having their own stockpile ready, in addition to the federal strategic stockpile.”

Carter's State Strategic Stockpile Readiness Act was included in the passage of the Strengthening America's Strategic National Stockpile Act.