MAPS Act
- Bill Number
- S. 1784
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-03-19: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Hearings held.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-06T20:29:39Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Mapping America's Pharmaceutical Supply Act (MAPS Act), S. 1784, aims to strengthen U.S. national security and public health by improving federal coordination to track and secure the supply chains of critical medicines. It focuses on identifying vulnerabilities in the production and distribution of essential drugs to prevent shortages that could arise from threats like pandemics, foreign dependencies, or cyber attacks.
Key Provisions
- Essential Medicines List (Section 2): The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), working with other federal agencies and experts, must update and maintain a list of essential medicines. This includes active pharmaceutical ingredients (the core chemical components of drugs) and finished drugs that address:
- Chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear threats under the National Response Framework (a federal plan for disaster response).
- High-priority health care needs at risk of shortages.
- Chronic conditions where shortages could harm patients.
- Military needs as determined by the Secretary of Defense.
The list must be updated at least every two years, with the first update completed within 180 days of enactment, and published publicly after each update.
- Risk Assessment of Supply Chains (Section 3): HHS, in coordination with the Department of Defense (DoD) and other agencies, must conduct a detailed review of supply chains for listed medicines. This assessment identifies:
- Key materials needed for production.
- Dependencies on high-risk foreign suppliers (e.g., those providing over 50% of production, especially "entities of concern" like certain foreign adversaries).
- Drugs sourced mainly from abroad, including those made domestically but using foreign ingredients.
- U.S. manufacturing strengths, including advanced technologies (innovative production methods to make drugs more efficiently).
- Risks like cyber threats (digital attacks on systems) and gaps in federal authority.
- Mitigation strategies, such as using the Defense Production Act (a law allowing the government to prioritize production during emergencies).
Reports on findings must be submitted to congressional committees and the Director of National Intelligence within 180 days of enactment and annually thereafter; a public version follows within one year.
- Supply Chain Mapping and Monitoring (Section 4): HHS must lead efforts, including public-private partnerships (collaborations between government and industry), to create visual maps of supply chains—from raw materials to final drug distribution—using data analytics (tools to analyze large datasets for patterns). This identifies national security threats. Requirements include:
- Defining roles for HHS offices in monitoring.
- Sharing data on production locations, volumes, and regulatory actions (e.g., inspections, recalls, or shortage listings under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act).
Annual reports to Congress detail progress, coordination, data gaps, use of predictive modeling (forecasting shortages), and industry engagement, starting 18 months after enactment.
- Department of Defense Reporting (Section 5): DoD must submit reports every 180 days listing drugs it purchased in the prior period that involve materials or manufacturing from China.
- Definitions and Additional Provisions (Sections 6–7): Defines terms like "advanced manufacturing," "cybersecurity threat," and "drug." Clarifies that this work fulfills prior executive order requirements, protects shared commercial information from disclosure laws (while maintaining confidentiality), and mandates strong cybersecurity for data handling.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill expands on Executive Order 13944 (issued in 2020 to address drug supply issues during the COVID-19 pandemic) by formalizing the essential medicines list in statute, adding mandatory risk assessments and supply chain mapping, and requiring regular reporting. It introduces new federal coordination mechanisms and data-sharing protections not previously specified, while leveraging existing laws like the Defense Production Act for mitigation. It does not create new regulatory penalties but enhances monitoring without altering core drug approval processes under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Increases workload for HHS and DoD in data collection, analysis, and reporting, but improves inter-agency collaboration (e.g., with Homeland Security and Intelligence). Could lead to more efficient use of resources for shortage prevention and invoke emergency production powers more readily.
- On Citizens: Enhances resilience against drug shortages, potentially stabilizing access to critical treatments for chronic illnesses, emergencies, and military personnel. Patients may benefit from reduced risks of supply disruptions, though short-term costs (e.g., from domestic manufacturing incentives) could indirectly affect drug prices.
- On International Relations: Highlights concerns over foreign (especially Chinese) dominance in pharmaceutical supplies, potentially straining trade ties or encouraging "reshoring" (bringing production back to the U.S.). It may influence global supply dynamics by prioritizing U.S. security, without imposing direct sanctions.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Agencies: Primarily HHS (leading implementation), DoD (military and purchasing focus), and others like Homeland Security, Commerce, and Intelligence communities for coordination and risk input.
- Pharmaceutical Industry: Drug manufacturers, suppliers, and trade groups, who must share data via partnerships and face increased scrutiny on foreign sourcing.
- Congress: Receives detailed reports to oversee and fund related efforts.
- Military and Defense Personnel: Benefit from secured supplies for preparedness.
- Patients and Health Care Providers: Those relying on essential drugs for chronic care or emergencies, gaining indirect protection from shortages.
- General Public: Affected through broader national health security, especially in crises.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens information-sharing among agencies by exempting it from certain confidentiality laws (e.g., trade secret protections under U.S. Code), while requiring cybersecurity safeguards to prevent breaches. No new enforcement powers are granted, but it builds on existing authorities like drug shortage reporting, potentially enabling faster federal responses without court challenges.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's powers to regulate interstate commerce and provide for national defense (Article I, Section 8), focusing on health security as a public welfare matter. No apparent First Amendment or privacy issues, as data handling emphasizes protections for commercial information.
- Political: Bipartisan sponsorship (Democrats and Republicans) signals broad support for supply chain security post-COVID, amid concerns over foreign dependencies. It could influence future budgets for domestic manufacturing incentives but avoids partisan debates by emphasizing coordination over mandates.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (7)
Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK], Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA], Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR], Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA], Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME], Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL], Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI]
Recent Actions
- 2026-03-19: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Hearings held.
- 2025-05-15: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 2025-05-15: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Mapping America's Pharmaceutical Supply Act — issued 2025-05-15 — PDF (11 pages)