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EO 13996Executive OrderBiden · D Quiet signal

Executive Order 13996

Establishing the COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board and Ensuring a Sustainable Public Health Workforce for COVID-19 and Other Biological Threats

This executive order establishes a COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board to coordinate federal testing efforts and reduce disparities in access, while also creating plans for a U.S. Public Health Job Corps and a sustainable public health workforce to address the pandemic and future biological threats. It directs multiple agencies to facilitate free testing for uninsured individuals, clarify insurance coverage obligations, and provide technical support to state and local health agencies.

Federal Register Open PDF 86 FR 7197

Impact dates

  1. HHS and Labor consult with state/local/tribal/territorial leaders on workforce challenges

  2. HHS provide technical support and training assistance to public health agencies

  3. HHS submit plan for sustainable public health workforce with five-year targets and budget requirements

  4. Multi-agency plan for U.S. Public Health Job Corps

Key directives

  • Establish COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board chaired by COVID-19 Response Coordinator
  • Testing Board to coordinate federal diagnostic, screening, and surveillance testing efforts
  • Treasury, HHS, Labor to promptly facilitate free COVID-19 testing for uninsured and clarify group health plan coverage obligations
  • HHS and Labor to promptly consult with state/local/tribal/territorial leaders on pandemic response workforce challenges
  • HHS to as soon as practicable provide technical support and training for public health agencies
  • HHS to submit plan with five-year targets and budget requirements for sustainable public health workforce, including expanded USPHS Commissioned Corps and Epidemic Intelligence Service
  • HHS, DHS, Labor, Education, CNCS CEO to submit plan for U.S. Public Health Job Corps modeled on FEMA Corps, with potential immediate assignment of existing AmeriCorps members

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • Establishment of COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board
  • Coordination of federal testing efforts begins
  • Agencies directed to promptly facilitate free testing for uninsured and clarify insurance coverage

Near term (90d)

  • HHS and Labor to consult with state/local/tribal/territorial leaders on workforce challenges
  • HHS to provide technical support and training assistance for testing and contact tracing
  • HHS to submit plan for sustainable public health workforce with five-year targets
  • Multi-agency plan due for U.S. Public Health Job Corps

Long term

  • Implementation of U.S. Public Health Job Corps
  • Five-year workforce capacity building through expanded Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and Epidemic Intelligence Service
  • Structural preparedness for future pandemics and biological threats

Risks & tensions

  • All actions subject to 'as appropriate and consistent with applicable law' and 'subject to the availability of appropriations,' creating implementation uncertainty
  • No hard calendar deadlines specified; 'promptly' and 'as soon as practicable' are vague and not enforceable
  • U.S. Public Health Job Corps modeled on FEMA Corps but requires new multi-agency plan and potential congressional action for sustained funding
  • Five-year targets for workforce expansion may conflict with annual appropriations cycles and political transitions
  • Coordination across seven agencies for Job Corps plan creates bureaucratic friction risk
  • Testing Board recommendations are advisory to President, not binding on agencies
Executive Order 13996: Establishing the COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board and Ensuring a Sustainable Public Health Workforce for COVID-19 and Other Biological Threats · Executive Orders