Title 21, Food and DrugsRelease 119-110

§2222 Integrated Consortium of Laboratory Networks

Title 21 › CHAPTER 27 — FOOD SAFETY MODERNIZATION › SUBCHAPTER II — IMPROVING CAPACITY TO DETECT AND RESPOND TO FOOD SAFETY PROBLEMS › § 2222

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Homeland Security must keep an agreement with the heads of Health and Human Services, Agriculture, Commerce, and the EPA. That agreement brings together lab networks chosen by the Homeland Security Secretary. Those labs must use common testing methods to speed up detection and response to foodborne illness outbreaks and to share information on animal, farm, and human health. They must also plan for national lab readiness, provide extra testing help in emergencies, and keep working together so responses are better coordinated. Every two years, the Homeland Security Secretary must send a progress report to the relevant Congressional committees and post it on the Department of Homeland Security website.

Full Legal Text

Title 21, §2222

Food and Drugs, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In general

The Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, shall maintain an agreement through which relevant laboratory network members, as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall—

(1)agree on common laboratory methods in order to reduce the time required to detect and respond to foodborne illness outbreaks and facilitate the sharing of knowledge and information relating to animal health, agriculture, and human health;

(2)identify means by which laboratory network members could work cooperatively—

(A)to optimize national laboratory preparedness; and

(B)to provide surge capacity during emergencies; and

(3)engage in ongoing dialogue and build relationships that will support a more effective and integrated response during emergencies.

(b)Reporting requirement

The Secretary of Homeland Security shall, on a biennial basis, submit to the relevant committees of Congress, and make publicly available on the Internet Web site of the Department of Homeland Security, a report on the progress of the integrated consortium of laboratory networks, as established under subsection (a), in carrying out this section.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

21 U.S.C. § 2222

Title 21, Food and Drugs

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110