Key senators propose an overhaul of how the U.S. prepares for pandemics

One of the most significant policies in the plan, released in a draft on Tuesday, would create a 9/11-style bipartisan commission to formally investigate the United States’ pandemic response — a proposal that has failed to gain traction until now. Another would require Senate confirmation for the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The sweeping measure, which was in the works for nearly a year, is the product of negotiations between Senate health committee chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and ranking member Richard Burr (R-N.C.). The release comes shortly before lawmakers are facing down a deadline to fund the government by Feb. 18, a rare potential bipartisan vehicle for legislation. Murray and Burr said they plan to mark up the bill “in the coming weeks.”