Advancing the Global Health Security Agenda To Achieve a World Safe and Secure From Infectious Disease Threats

This executive order institutionalizes U.S. participation in the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), a multinational initiative to strengthen countries' abilities to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats. It creates a new interagency council chaired by National Security Council staff, assigns specific roles to 13 agencies, and mandates reporting and external evaluation requirements through 2019.

Federal Register Open PDF 81 FR 78701

Impact dates

Date TBD
External assessment of U.S. domestic IHR/GHSA implementation (recurring no less than every 4 years)
Sep 30, 2019
Council submits overall 5-year GHSA review to President
Dec 4, 2016
Council provides initial policy-level guidance on GHSA implementation

Key directives

NSC staff convenes GHSA Interagency Review Council with 13+ agency representatives at Assistant Secretary level or higher
Council meets not less than four times per year
Council provides initial policy guidance within 30 days of order
Council develops annual progress report with recommendations for President, made publicly available to extent possible
Council conducts overall 5-year review for submission to President by September 2019
Agency heads make GHSA high priority in strategic planning and budget processes
Secretary of State leads diplomatic outreach to G7, G20, African Union, EU, ASEAN, ECOWAS, OIC, and other bodies
Secretary of HHS facilitates external assessment of U.S. domestic IHR/GHSA implementation no less than every 4 years and publishes results
Attorney General/FBI serves as lead for GHSA targets linking public health and law enforcement
Secretary of Homeland Security leads border/port of entry health threat activities with HHS, State, and Agriculture

Timeline

Immediate

GHSA Interagency Review Council convenes
agencies designate senior officials and Council representatives
agencies instructed to prioritize GHSA in strategic planning and budget processes

Near term (90d)

Council provides initial policy guidance (30 days)
first annual cycle of Council meetings begins (minimum 4/year)

Long term

annual progress reports to President with public release
5-year comprehensive review due September 2019
ongoing external assessments of U.S. domestic capabilities every 4 years

Risks & tensions

Council operates 'by consensus,' which may slow decision-making or produce lowest-common-denominator guidance
Explicit carve-out preserves Secretary of State's foreign affairs authority, creating potential jurisdictional friction with NSC-led Council
Implementation 'subject to availability of appropriations' may limit actual programmatic activity regardless of planning mandates
September 2019 review deadline fell within subsequent administration, creating uncertainty about follow-through
No enforcement mechanism for agency compliance with prioritization directives