Aerial Transport and High Consequence Infectious Diseases Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 10797 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 10797 To direct the Secretary of the Air Force to carry out a program to provide for the safe, long-range aerial transport of individuals known to be infected, or suspected of infection, by high-consequence infectious diseases. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 13, 2026 Mr. Bacon introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To direct the Secretary of the Air Force to carry out a program to provide for the safe, long-range aerial transport of individuals known to be infected, or suspected of infection, by high-consequence infectious diseases. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Aerial Transport and High Consequence Infectious Diseases Act''. SEC. 2. AERIAL TRANSPORT AND DEPARTMENT-WIDE CAPABILITY FOR HIGH- CONSEQUENCE INFECTIOUS DISEASES. (a) Requirement.--Beginning not later than October 1, 2027, the Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Secretaries of the other military departments, and the Director of the Defense Health Agency, shall carry out a Department program to provide for the safe, long- range aerial transport of individuals known to be or suspected of infection by high-consequence infectious diseases. (b) Aerial Transport Component.--The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the program under subsection (a) serves as the component of the Department of Defense that-- (1) provides the Department with aerial transport of patients with high-consequence infectious diseases; and (2) provides support to other departm