H.R. 10797: Aerial Transport and High Consequence Infectious Diseases Act

This bill would direct the Air Force, working with other parts of the Defense Department, to set up and run a program for safely transporting people over long distances when they are known or suspected to have a high-consequence infectious disease—in other words, a serious contagious illness that could pose major risks to health and safety.

What the program would do

• Start a Defense Department-wide capability for moving infected or potentially infected patients by air, beginning no later than October 1, 2027.

• Make the Air Force the main Defense Department lead for this kind of transport.

• Allow the Defense Department to support other federal agencies, as well as state, local, civilian, and academic partners, when appropriate.

Training and procedures

The bill would require the Air Force to develop training and certification for Defense Department medical personnel on how to safely transport these patients by air. It would also require the department to create and regularly update:

• medical care standards,

• infection prevention and control measures, and

• operational safety rules

These rules would be intended to protect the patient, aircrew, medical staff, and other support personnel.

Equipment and coordination

The bill would require the department to set standards for protective equipment, patient isolation transport systems, and related medical gear used in these missions. It would also direct the Defense Department to develop common doctrine and operating procedures for moving patients, providing care, and coordinating across the full chain of medical response.

Organization and research

The bill would have the Defense Department coordinate the organization and readiness of specialized teams that can move and treat patients in difficult or remote conditions. It would also require the department to identify gaps in capability and support research and testing of:

• medical countermeasures,

• transport systems,

• protective equipment, and

• operational procedures.

Department-wide policy

Finally, the bill would require the Secretary of Defense to develop and maintain department-wide policy and doctrine for how these infectious-disease response capabilities are developed, maintained, and used across the military.

Relevant Companies

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