---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 247d–7b"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "247d–7b"
heading: "Emergency system for advance registration of volunteer health professional"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/247d-7b"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter II — General Powers and Duties"
  - "Part B — Federal-State Cooperation"
---

# §247d–7b. Emergency system for advance registration of volunteer health professional

- (a) **In general—** Not later than 12 months after December 19, 2006, the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall link existing [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) verification systems to maintain a single national interoperable network of systems, each system being maintained by a [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) or group of [States](/usc/42/201.md?p=f), for the purpose of verifying the credentials and licenses of health care professionals who volunteer to provide health [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) during a public health emergency. Such health care professionals may include members of the National [Disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) Medical System, members of the Medical Reserve Corps, and individual health care professionals.
- (b) **Requirements—** The interoperable network of systems established under [subsection (a)](#a) (referred to in this section as the “verification network”) shall include—
  - (1) with respect to each volunteer health professional included in the verification network—
    - (A) information necessary for the rapid identification of, and communication with, such professionals; and
    - (B) the credentials, certifications, licenses, and relevant training of such individuals; and
  - (2) the name of each member of the Medical Reserve Corps, the National [Disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) Medical System, and any other relevant federally-sponsored or administered [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) determined necessary by the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c).
- (c) **Other assistance—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) may make grants and provide technical assistance to [States](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) and other public or [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) private entities for activities relating to the verification network developed under [subsection (a)](#a).
- (d) **Accessibility—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall ensure that the verification network is electronically accessible by [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f), local, and tribal health departments and can be linked with the identification cards under [section 300hh–15 of this title](/usc/42/300hh–15.md).
- (e) **Confidentiality—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall establish and require the application of and compliance with measures to ensure the effective security of, integrity of, and access to the data included in the verification network.
- (f) **Coordination—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall coordinate with the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) of Veterans Affairs and the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) of Homeland Security to assess the feasibility of integrating the verification network under this section with the VetPro system of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Emergency Responder Credentialing System of the Department of Homeland Security. The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall, if feasible, integrate the verification network under this section with such VetPro system and the National Emergency Responder Credentialing System.
- (g) **Updating of information—** The [States](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) that are [participants](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-11) in the verification network shall, on at least a quarterly basis, work with the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) to provide for the updating of the information contained in the verification network.
- (h) **Clarification—** Inclusion of a health professional in the verification network shall not constitute appointment of such individual as a Federal [employee](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-5) for any purpose, either under [section 300hh–11(c) of this title](/usc/42/300hh–11.md?p=c) or otherwise. Such appointment may only be made under section [300hh–11](/usc/42/300hh–11.md) or [300hh–15](/usc/42/300hh–15.md) of this title.
- (i) **Health care provider licenses—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall encourage [States](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) to establish and implement mechanisms to waive the application of licensing requirements applicable to health professionals, who are seeking to provide medical [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) (within their scope of practice), during a national, [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f), local, or tribal public health emergency upon verification that such health professionals are licensed and in good standing in another [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) and have not been disciplined by any [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) health licensing or disciplinary board. In order to inform the development of such mechanisms by [States](/usc/42/201.md?p=f), the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall make available information and material provided by [States](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) that have developed mechanisms to waive the application of licensing requirements to applicable health professionals seeking to provide medical [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) during a public health emergency. Such information shall be made publicly available in a manner that does not compromise national security.
- (j) **Rule of construction—** This section may not be construed as authorizing the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) to issue requirements regarding the provision by the [States](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) of credentials, licenses, accreditations, or [hospital](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=1) privileges.
- (k) **Authorization of appropriations—** For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 319I, as added Pub. L. 107–188, title I, § 107, June 12, 2002, 116 Stat. 608; amended Pub. L. 109–417, title III, § 303(b), Dec. 19, 2006, 120 Stat. 2857; Pub. L. 113–5, title II, § 203(b)(1), Mar. 13, 2013, 127 Stat. 175; Pub. L. 116–22, title II, § 207(a), June 24, 2019, 133 Stat. 926.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2019—Pub. L. 116–22, § 207(a)(1), substituted “volunteer health professional” for “health professions volunteers” in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–22, § 207(a)(2), inserted at end “Such health care professionals may include members of the National Disaster Medical System, members of the Medical Reserve Corps, and individual health care professionals.”

Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 116–22, § 207(a)(3), inserted at end “In order to inform the development of such mechanisms by States, the Secretary shall make available information and material provided by States that have developed mechanisms to waive the application of licensing requirements to applicable health professionals seeking to provide medical services during a public health emergency. Such information shall be made publicly available in a manner that does not compromise national security.”

Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 116–22, § 207(a)(4), substituted “2019 through 2023” for “2014 through 2018”.

2013—Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 113–5 substituted “$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018” for “$2,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2003 through 2011”.

2006—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 109–417, § 303(b)(2), added subsecs. (a) and (b) and struck out former subsecs. (a) and (b) which related to establishment of a verification system and provisions regarding its promptness and efficiency.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–417, § 303(b)(3), substituted “network” for “system”.

Subsecs. (d) to (k). Pub. L. 109–417, § 303(b)(1), (4), (5), added subsecs. (d) to (i), redesignated former subsecs. (e) and (f) as (j) and (k), respectively, substituted “2011” for “2006” in subsec. (k), and struck out heading and text of former subsec. (d). Text read as follows: “The Secretary may encourage each State to provide legal authority during a public health emergency for health professionals authorized in another State to provide certain health services to provide such health services in the State.”