# 119-hr-1961: CARE Act

119-hr-1961, CARE Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15] (D-NY); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2025-12-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1961
- As of: 2025-12-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-1961
- Congress: 119
- Title: CARE Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-03-06
- Sponsor: Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15] (D-NY)
- Cosponsors: 5
- Policy area: Health
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2025-12-21

## Summary

**Improve HHS learning and public messaging after health emergencies.** The CARE Act would create two department-wide programs at HHS: an after-action program to review and fix response problems and a risk communication strategy to make public health messages clearer and reach populations most at risk. - Families and at-risk communities would get targeted, understandable, and accessible communications during emergencies. The Secretary must begin an initial risk communication strategy within 1 year. - HHS agencies and responders would use a centralized after-action program that integrates agency reviews and fosters collaboration with States, Indian Tribes, territories, local partners, and other federal agencies. The Secretary must establish and start implementation of the program within 2 years. - After-action reports would cover emergency plans, information sharing, staffing and space management, supply chains for PPE and medicines, standardized treatment and telehealth protocols, and speeding up medical countermeasure development. The HHS Inspector General would evaluate the program and may report findings to Congress. *Authorizes $3.5 million for initial after-action activities and additional unspecified amounts to carry out the risk communication and related oversight work.*

## Cosponsors (5)

- Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5] (D-IL), 2025-03-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2025-03-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3] (D-PA), 2025-03-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4] (D-GA), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42] (D-CA), 2025-05-05T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Clearer health risk messages from the health department: benefit, medium. This bill would require the U.S. health department (HHS) to create a risk communication plan within 1 year of enactment. It would apply to all HHS agencies, including the CDC. The plan would identify groups most at risk and make messages clear, accurate, and easy to understand. It would also ensure…
- Stronger reviews after health emergencies: benefit, medium. This bill would require the U.S. health department (HHS) to set up a department‑wide after‑action program within 2 years of enactment. It would review each HHS response to a public health emergency declared under section 319(a). Reports would cover plans, information sharing, incident command, staf…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-3971: Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act
- 119-hres-1058: Recognizing that it is the duty of the Federal Government to develop and implement a Transgender Bill of Rights to protect and codify the rights of transgender…
- 119-hr-3376: Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-1961 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1961)

## Related
- [119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9877)
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-3971: Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3971)
- [119-hres-1058: Recognizing that it is the duty of the Federal Government to develop and implem…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hres-1058)
- [119-hr-3376: Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3376)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1961 (as of 2025-12-21).