The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee voted to reauthorize the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act, or PAHPA, with the latest version informed by the failures in the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We did learn some tough lessons," Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-LA) said in his opening statements during the bipartisan markup. "We're updating the playbook."

BIDEN TAKES NEW ACTION ON JUNK FEES, FOOD PRICES, AND CORPORATE MERGERS

The 107-page bill seeks to increase accountability for various government entities, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, and increase data transparency and collection.

Cassidy noted that although the executive public health agencies failed in coordination efforts during the pandemic, congressional oversight is the key to fixing those problems. "Ultimately, we're the ones responsible," he said.

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) said one of the bill's most important provisions is streamlining the data-sharing process between government agencies and private entities, which was severely lacking, in his estimation, during the pandemic.

"You'd think maybe the CDC would have good data, but they didn't," Romney said, lamenting that Johns Hopkins was his primary source for information during the pandemic rather than the government's leading source for disease information.

"The better we share [data] the better we will be prepared," Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) said.

Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) highlighted the bill's provisions targeting biosecurity in research and development, including increasing funding for the creation and maintenance of bio-contaminant laboratories for research within the United States. Casey said the research and development environment "must evolve in how we manage those pathogens."

Significant debate surrounded Sen. Rand Paul's (R-KY) amendment to strengthen the language regarding prohibiting the funding of gain-of-function research. Paul said that such research, which helps predict virus spread, is not necessary with the rapid speed of developing mRNA vaccines that can address novel crises as they develop.

Paul and several Republican committee members also said that, although the White House has stopped funding the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which many have been associated with the development of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19, there is no limitation to funding for gain-of-function research in China or countries hostile to the U.S.

"We need to stop funding [gain of function] but especially with our adversaries," Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) said.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said that although he did not support Paul's amendment because he was "concerned that we would be jeopardizing international cooperation," he would be interested in pursuing different legislation limiting funding for gain-of-function research because of the "importance" of the issue. The amendment narrowly failed.

Paul also proposed an amendment to the bill that would break up the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease into three smaller institutes in order to minimize the agency's power. The amendment was not supported by either Sanders or Cassidy.