Beginning in 2018 and every four years thereafter, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the relevant committees of Congress a coordinated strategy (to be known as the National Health Security Strategy) and any revisions thereof, and an accompanying implementation plan for public health emergency preparedness and response. Such National Health Security Strategy shall describe potential emergency health security threats and identify the process for achieving the preparedness goals described in subsection (b) to be prepared to identify and respond to such threats and shall be consistent with the national preparedness goal (as described in section 314(a)(19) of title 6), the National Incident Management System (as defined in section 311(7) of such title), and the National Response Plan developed pursuant to section 314 of such title, or any successor plan.

The National Health Security Strategy shall include an evaluation of the progress made by Federal, State, local, and tribal entities, based on the evidence-based benchmarks and objective standards that measure levels of preparedness established pursuant to section 247d–3a(g) of this title. Such evaluation shall include aggregate and State-specific breakdowns of obligated funding spent by major category (as defined by the Secretary) for activities funded through awards pursuant to sections 247d–3a and 247d–3b of this title, and an analysis of any changes to the evidence-based benchmarks and objective standards under sections 247d–3a and 247d–3b of this title.

In 2022, the National Health Security Strategy shall include a national strategy for establishing an effective and prepared public health workforce, including defining the functions, capabilities, and gaps in such workforce (including gaps in the environmental health and animal health workforces, as applicable), describing the status of such workforce, identifying strategies to recruit, retain, and protect such workforce from workplace exposures during public health emergencies, and identifying current capabilities to meet the requirements of section 300hh–2 of this title.