H.R. 3299 would establish an incentive program that awards vouchers for priority review to companies that obtain approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for certain drugs that can be used to counter the effects of biological, chemical, radiological, or nuclear agents. The bill also would make several changes to the processes used to procure medical countermeasures in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Finally, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) would be required to report on programs to improve state, local, and hospital preparedness. CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 3299 would cost $20 million over the 2017-2021 period, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts. Pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply to this legislation because it would not affect direct spending or revenues.
CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 3299 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2027.
H.R. 3299 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments.
