Katko Introduces Bill To Support Local Research On COVID-19, Pandemic Preparedness

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. John Katko (R, NY-24) today introduced the COVID-19 and Pandemic Response Centers of Excellence Act, bipartisan legislation that would support additional COVID-19 and pandemic preparedness research at academic medical centers like SUNY Upstate Medical University and the University of Rochester.

Katko introduced this bill alongside U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D, NY-07). Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate by U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA).

During the pandemic, academic medical centers have been at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19, providing critical expertise and research that has informed our nation’s public health response. Locally, facilities like SUNY Upstate and the University of Rochester have contributed research for new COVID-19 tests, as well as the development of vaccines and life-saving treatments for patients.

The COVID-19 and Pandemic Response Centers of Excellence would authorize the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award federal funds to academic medical centers that have demonstrated a high level of expertise in COVID-19 research, like SUNY Upstate and the University of Rochester.

Through this funding, the bill seeks to facilitate and expedite research to better understand COVID-19 variants, improve COVID-19 patient care and survivor recovery, expand mental health resources for healthcare workers, address healthcare disparities, advance vaccine research, and bolster future pandemic preparedness.

“Medical centers like SUNY Upstate Medical University and the University of Rochester have been at the forefront of our pandemic response and recovery efforts. The critical research being done by our academic medical centers has not only informed public health guidance to keep us safe but also advanced several life-saving medical breakthroughs,” Katko said. “But more than a year has passed since the pandemic began, and we still have many unanswered questions. That’s why, I’m introducing the COVID-19 and Pandemic Response Centers of Excellence Act. This bipartisan and bicameral bill will support our local medical centers by funding additional research to provide us with a better understanding of COVID-19 variants, the impacts this virus has on our health, and how to better prepare for future public health emergencies.”

“We applaud Rep. Katko’s leadership in underscoring the urgent need to help academic medical centers, including SUNY Upstate, in our unique role in this battle,” said Dr. Mantosh Dewan, President of SUNY Upstate Medical University. “Since the start of the pandemic, Upstate has devoted enormous resources to create and deploy the nation’s best COVID-19 saliva test, to complete numerous clinical trials for the vaccine, and to pioneer groundbreaking treatments for this new virus. We thank Rep. Katko for his tremendous efforts on our behalf, and we look forward to working with him on innovations to proactively identify and lead rapid responses to emerging health threats.”

“As academic medical centers, we have a special calling to address complex challenges—and at no time has that been more evident than in the face of this worldwide crisis. The COVID-19 and Pandemic Centers of Excellence Act will help to equip institutions like the University of Rochester Medical Center with the tools necessary to continue to learn and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic while utilizing our longstanding expertise and scientific leadership in vaccine technology, immunology, and infectious diseases to ensure our nation is well positioned to respond to the next public health threat,” said Mark B. Taubman, M.D., Chief Executive Officer, University of Rochester Medical Center and Dean, School of Medicine and Dentistry.

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