Press Releases

CONGRESS PASSES WEBSTER’S BILL TO IMPROVE LONG-TERM CARE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

Washington, DC – Florida Congressman Daniel Webster (R-Clermont), released the following statement after Congress passed his bipartisan bill to strengthen ‘Worst-Case Scenario’ preparedness for hospitals, and long-term care facilities.

“Disaster preparedness is critical for protecting lives, improving resiliency and being good stewards of disaster relief dollars,” said Webster. “The bill is a much needed first step to ensuring that hospitals and long-term care facilities across the nation are more resilient against natural disasters. Maintaining a high standard of inspection, upkeep, and disaster preparedness, especially in places like in my home state of Florida, reduces the future loss of important facilities that many seniors and veterans in my district rely on. Being better prepared on the front end should also save taxpayers millions of dollars in disaster relief.”

Webster’s bill, co-introduced with Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Michigan), passed the House as part of a larger package, H.R. 6378.  The Webster-Dingell bill requires the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to engage with the National Academy of Medicine to conduct a comprehensive study into the future natural disaster threats impacting emergency preparedness procedures for hospitals, long term care facilities, and other health care facilities. The study will provide Congress with new recommendations and expert analysis on:

  • current emergency preparedness policies and regulations;
    • identifying new policies that better address all future threats;
    • improving Federal grant programs to assist health care facilities; and
    • providing updated guidelines for alternative power systems and access to clean water.

 

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