Title 6Domestic SecurityRelease 119-73

§597 Chief Medical Officer

Title 6 › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - HOMELAND SECURITY ORGANIZATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER XIV— - COUNTERING WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION OFFICE › Part Part C— - Chief Medical Officer › § 597

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The President must appoint a Chief Medical Officer who reports to the Assistant Secretary. The Chief Medical Officer is in charge of medical matters in the Department for natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and other man-made emergencies. The person must be a licensed doctor with proven skill in medicine and public health. Key duties are advising top Department and FEMA leaders, giving medical support to Department parts, sending medical liaisons to those parts when they pay for it, working with federal, state, local, Tribal authorities and health agencies (like CDC and HHS ASPR), and doing other tasks the Secretary requires.

Full Legal Text

Title 6, §597

Domestic Security — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)There is in the Office a Chief Medical Officer, who shall be appointed by the President. The Chief Medical Officer shall report to the Assistant Secretary.
(b)The individual appointed as Chief Medical Officer shall be a licensed physician possessing a demonstrated ability in and knowledge of medicine and public health.
(c)The Chief Medical Officer shall have the responsibility within the Department for medical issues related to natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters, including—
(1)serving as the principal advisor on medical and public health issues to the Secretary, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Assistant Secretary, and other Department officials;
(2)providing operational medical support to all components of the Department;
(3)as appropriate, providing medical liaisons to the components of the Department, on a reimbursable basis, to provide subject matter expertise on operational medical issues;
(4)coordinating with Federal, State, local, and Tribal governments, the medical community, and others within and outside the Department, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response of the Department of Health and Human Services, with respect to medical and public health matters; and
(5)performing such other duties relating to such responsibilities as the Secretary may require.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Similar ProvisionsProvisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 321e of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 115–387, § 2(c)(1).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

6 U.S.C. § 597

Title 6Domestic Security

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73