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Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§247d–7b Emergency system for advance registration of volunteer health professional

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 6A— - PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES › Part Part B— - Federal-State Cooperation › § 247d–7b

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Create a single, connected national network (kept by States or groups of States) to check the credentials and licenses of health workers who volunteer during public health emergencies. The Secretary must set this up within 12 months after December 19, 2006. The network must hold quick-contact info and proof of credentials, training, and licenses for volunteers, and must include members of the Medical Reserve Corps, the National Disaster Medical System, and other federal programs the Secretary finds needed. The Secretary can give grants and technical help to build the network, must make it electronically available to State, local, and tribal health departments, must protect the data, and must try to link it with VA’s VetPro and DHS’s National Emergency Responder Credentialing System if feasible. States in the network must update records at least quarterly. Being listed in the network does not make someone a federal employee. The Secretary should encourage States to set up ways to waive licensing rules in emergencies for out-of-State licensed, non‑disciplined health workers and share helpful examples publicly without harming national security. The law allows $5,000,000 each year for fiscal years 2019 through 2023 to carry out these actions.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §247d–7b

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Not later than 12 months after December 19, 2006, the Secretary shall link existing State verification systems to maintain a single national interoperable network of systems, each system being maintained by a State or group of States, for the purpose of verifying the credentials and licenses of health care professionals who volunteer to provide health services during a public health emergency. Such health care professionals may include members of the National Disaster Medical System, members of the Medical Reserve Corps, and individual health care professionals.
(b)The interoperable network of systems established under subsection (a) (referred to in this section as the “verification network”) shall include—
(1)with respect to each volunteer health professional included in the verification network—
(A)information necessary for the rapid identification of, and communication with, such professionals; and
(B)the credentials, certifications, licenses, and relevant training of such individuals; and
(2)the name of each member of the Medical Reserve Corps, the National Disaster Medical System, and any other relevant federally-sponsored or administered programs determined necessary by the Secretary.
(c)The Secretary may make grants and provide technical assistance to States and other public or nonprofit private entities for activities relating to the verification network developed under subsection (a).
(d)The Secretary shall ensure that the verification network is electronically accessible by State, local, and tribal health departments and can be linked with the identification cards under section 300hh–15 of this title.
(e)The Secretary shall establish and require the application of and compliance with measures to ensure the effective security of, integrity of, and access to the data included in the verification network.
(f)The Secretary shall coordinate with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Homeland Security to assess the feasibility of integrating the verification network under this section with the VetPro system of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Emergency Responder Credentialing System of the Department of Homeland Security. The Secretary shall, if feasible, integrate the verification network under this section with such VetPro system and the National Emergency Responder Credentialing System.
(g)The States that are participants in the verification network shall, on at least a quarterly basis, work with the Director to provide for the updating of the information contained in the verification network.
(h)Inclusion of a health professional in the verification network shall not constitute appointment of such individual as a Federal employee for any purpose, either under section 300hh–11(c) of this title or otherwise. Such appointment may only be made under section 300hh–11 or 300hh–15 of this title.
(i)The Secretary shall encourage States to establish and implement mechanisms to waive the application of licensing requirements applicable to health professionals, who are seeking to provide medical services (within their scope of practice), during a national, State, local, or tribal public health emergency upon verification that such health professionals are licensed and in good standing in another State and have not been disciplined by any State health licensing or disciplinary board. In order to inform the development of such mechanisms by States, the Secretary shall make available information and material provided by States that have developed mechanisms to waive the application of licensing requirements to applicable health professionals seeking to provide medical services during a public health emergency. Such information shall be made publicly available in a manner that does not compromise national security.
(j)This section may not be construed as authorizing the Secretary to issue requirements regarding the provision by the States of credentials, licenses, accreditations, or hospital privileges.
(k)For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2019—Pub. L. 116–22, § 207(a)(1), substituted “volunteer health professional” for “health professions volunteers” in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–22, § 207(a)(2), inserted at end “Such health care professionals may include members of the National Disaster Medical System, members of the Medical Reserve Corps, and individual health care professionals.” Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 116–22, § 207(a)(3), inserted at end “In order to inform the development of such mechanisms by States, the Secretary shall make available information and material provided by States that have developed mechanisms to waive the application of licensing requirements to applicable health professionals seeking to provide medical services during a public health emergency. Such information shall be made publicly available in a manner that does not compromise national security.” Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 116–22, § 207(a)(4), substituted “2019 through 2023” for “2014 through 2018”. 2013—Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 113–5 substituted “$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018” for “$2,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2003 through 2011”. 2006—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 109–417, § 303(b)(2), added subsecs. (a) and (b) and struck out former subsecs. (a) and (b) which related to establishment of a verification system and provisions regarding its promptness and efficiency. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–417, § 303(b)(3), substituted “network” for “system”. Subsecs. (d) to (k). Pub. L. 109–417, § 303(b)(1), (4), (5), added subsecs. (d) to (i), redesignated former subsecs. (e) and (f) as (j) and (k), respectively, substituted “2011” for “2006” in subsec. (k), and struck out heading and text of former subsec. (d). Text read as follows: “The Secretary may encourage each State to provide legal authority during a public health emergency for health professionals authorized in another State to provide certain health services to provide such health services in the State.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 247d–7b

Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73