42 U.S.C. § 204a
The Secretary, with respect to members of the following Corps components, shall establish requirements, including training and medical examinations, to ensure the readiness of such components to respond to urgent or emergency public health care needs that cannot otherwise be met at the Federal, State, and local levels:
The Secretary shall annually determine whether each member of the Corps meets the applicable readiness requirements established under paragraph (1).
A member of the Corps who fails to meet or maintain the readiness requirements established under paragraph (1) or who fails to comply with orders to respond to an urgent or emergency public health care need shall, except as provided in paragraph (4), in accordance with procedures established by the Secretary, be subject to disciplinary action as prescribed by the Secretary.
The Secretary may waive one or more of the requirements established under paragraph (1) for an individual who is not able to meet such requirements because of-
The Secretary shall promulgate regulations under which a waiver described in subparagraph (A) may be granted.
For purposes of this section and section 215 of this title, the term "urgent or emergency public health care need" means a health care need, as determined by the Secretary, arising as the result of-
The Secretary shall-
For purposes of pay, allowances, and benefits of a Commissioned Corps officer who is detailed or assigned to a Federal entity, the deployment of such officer by the Secretary in response to an urgent or emergency public health care need shall be deemed to be an authorized activity of the Federal entity to which the officer is detailed or assigned.
42 U.S.C. § 204a
EDITORIAL NOTES
REFERENCES IN TEXTThe National Emergencies Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(5)(A), is Pub. L. 94-412, Sept. 14, 1976, 90 Stat. 1255, which is classified principally to chapter 34 (§1601 et seq.) of Title 50, War and National Defense. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1601 of Title 50 and Tables.The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(5)(B), is Pub. L. 93-288, May 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 143, which is classified principally to chapter 68 (§5121 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 5121 of this title and Tables.
AMENDMENTS2020-Subsec. (a)(1)(B). Pub. L. 116-136 substituted "Ready Reserve Corps" for "Active Reserves".
STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES
PURPOSE Pub. L. 109-417, title II, §206(a), Dec. 19, 2006, 120 Stat. 2851, provided that: "It is the purpose of this section [enacting this section and amending sections 215 and 254d of this title] to improve the force management and readiness of the Commissioned Corps to accomplish the following objectives: "(1) To ensure the Corps is ready to respond rapidly to urgent or emergency public health care needs and challenges."(2) To ensure the availability of the Corps for assignments that address clinical and public health needs in isolated, hardship, and hazardous duty positions, and, when required, to address needs related to the well-being, security, and defense of the United States."(3) To establish the Corps as a resource available to Federal and State Government agencies for assistance in meeting public health leadership and service roles."
- Secretary
- The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.1 See References in Text note below.
- Service
- The term "Service" means the Public Health Service;