Bills of Congress by U.S. Congress

S.1701 - Strategic Teams for Organized Response Mobilization Act; STORM Act (119th Congress)

Summary

The STORM Act aims to enhance emergency response by leveraging health care workforce platforms. It allows the President to certify these platforms and enter into agreements for their use during declared emergencies. The Act also facilitates state licensure waivers for out-of-state independent contractor health care workers responding to emergencies.

Expected Effects

This bill would likely lead to quicker deployment of healthcare professionals during emergencies. It also establishes a framework for public-private partnerships in emergency response. This is achieved by streamlining the process of credentialing and deploying healthcare workers across state lines during crises.

Potential Benefits

  • Faster access to healthcare professionals during emergencies.
  • Increased surge capacity for healthcare systems.
  • Streamlined credentialing and deployment processes.
  • Potential for cost savings through the use of independent contractors.
  • Encourages innovation in healthcare workforce management.

Potential Disadvantages

  • Potential for exploitation of independent contractors.
  • Concerns about quality control and oversight of healthcare services provided by independent contractors.
  • Possible conflicts with existing state regulations and licensing requirements.
  • Risk of data breaches and privacy violations associated with health care workforce platforms.
  • Liability concerns related to the actions of independent contractors.

Constitutional Alignment

The bill aligns with the Constitution's implied powers related to national defense and general welfare (Article I, Section 8). It also touches on the Commerce Clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3) by facilitating interstate healthcare services. The Tenth Amendment could be implicated if states feel their authority over professional licensing is unduly infringed upon, although the bill emphasizes coordination with state authorities.

Impact Assessment: Things You Care About

This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).