Review - HR 286 Introduced – Healthcare Security Grants

Earlier this month, Rep Escobar (D,TX) introduced HR 286, the Health Care Providers Safety Act of 2023. The bill would amend the Public Health Service Act by adding a new §399V-8, Grants to Health Care Providers to Enhance Security. It would allow HHS to “award grants to health care providers to pay for security services and otherwise enhance the physical and cyber security of their facilities, personnel, and patients to ensure safe access.” No funding is authorized for this proposed program.

This bill is nearly identical to HR 7814 which was introduced by Escobar last session. That bill saw no action in Committee, nor did the Senate’s companion measure, S 4268, that was introduced by Sen. Gillibrand (D,NY).

Moving Forward

Neither Escobar nor her 107 cosponsors have yet been assigned to any Committees. Normally, this would mean that it would be difficult to tell if there would be sufficient influence to see the bill considered in Committee. But, since this is, at heart, a pro-abortion bill, there is not enough influence to see the bill considered in the Republican controlled House Energy and Commerce Committee to which this bill was assigned for consideration. This bill would not be able to muster the necessary votes to pass in Committee nor on the House floor.

 

For more details about this bill, including a look at Escobar’s press release – see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/hr-286-introduced  - subscription required.

S 4268 Introduced – Health Care Cybersecurity

Last month, Sen Gillibrand (D, NY) introduced S 4268, the Health Care Providers Safety Act of 2022. This is a companion bill to HR 7814. It would allow HHS to “award grants to health care providers to pay for security services and otherwise enhance the physical and cyber security of their facilities, personnel, and patients to ensure safe access.”

As I reported on HR 7814 this appears to be a bill that would allow HHS to provide security grants to abortion service providers. As such I expect that this bill, like HR 7814, will be vigorously opposed by Republicans.

HR7814 Introduced – Medical Security Grants

Last week, Rep Escobar (D,TX) introduced HR 7814, the Health Care Providers Safety Act of 2022. The bill would amend the Public Health Service Act by adding a new §399V-7, Grants to Health Care Providers to Enhance Security. It would allow HHS to “award grants to health care providers to pay for security services and otherwise enhance the physical and cyber security of their facilities, personnel, and patients to ensure safe access.”

Subsection (b) of the new section would allow “video surveillance camera systems, data privacy enhancements, and structural improvements” as allowable uses of the grant funds. There are no specific cybersecurity uses listed as allowable uses of the funds.

There is no funding authorized in the bill for the grant program.

While Escobar is not a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee to which this bill was assigned for consideration, a number of the 92 cosponsors {including Rep Schakowsky (D,IL), Rep Tonko (D,IL), and Rep Clarke (D,NY) for example} are members. This means that there should be sufficient influence to see the bill considered in Committee.

I do not see anything in the bill that would draw organized opposition, but the fact is that there are no Republican cosponsors of the bill, so I suspect that the opposition sees some abortion support aspect to the bill. Perhaps they fear that the funds would go to support abortion clinic security under the current administration. That is what happens when some people see words like “safe access” in legislation. Perhaps if the security grants came from DHS there would not be the same code word reading.

Bills Introduced – 5-19-22

Yesterday, with both the House and Senate in Washington, there were 67 bills introduced. One of those bills will receive additional coverage in this blog:

S 4268 A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to health care providers to enhance the physical and cyber security of their facilities, personnel, and patients. Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY] 

This may be a companion bill to HR 7814 that was introduced yesterday.

Bills Introduced – 5-18-22

Yesterday, with both the House and Senate in session, there were 46 bills introduced. Two of those bills will receive additional coverage in this blog:

HR 7814 To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to health care providers to enhance the physical and cyber security of their facilities, personnel, and patients. Rep. Escobar, Veronica [D-TX-16]

S 4248 A bill to enhance pipeline safety and oil spill preparedness and response, particularly in the Great Lakes Basin, and for other purposes. Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]