---
kind: "section"
citation: "6 U.S.C. § 597"
title: "6"
title_heading: "Domestic Security"
number: "597"
heading: "Chief Medical Officer"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/6/597"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — Homeland Security Organization"
  - "Subchapter XIV — Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office"
  - "Part C — Chief Medical Officer"
---

# §597. Chief Medical Officer

- (a) **In general—** There is in the [Office](/usc/6/590.md?p=3) a Chief Medical Officer, who shall be appointed by the President. The Chief Medical Officer shall report to the [Assistant Secretary](/usc/6/590.md?p=1).
- (b) **Qualifications—** The individual appointed as Chief Medical Officer shall be a licensed physician possessing a demonstrated ability in and knowledge of medicine and public health.
- (c) **Responsibilities—** The Chief Medical Officer shall have the responsibility within the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5) for medical issues related to natural disasters, acts of [terrorism](/usc/6/101.md?p=18), and other man-made disasters, including—
  - (1) serving as the principal advisor on medical and public health issues to the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16), the [Administrator](/usc/6/701.md?p=1) of the Federal [Emergency Management](/usc/6/701.md?p=7) [Agency](/usc/6/671.md?p=1), the [Assistant Secretary](/usc/6/590.md?p=1), and other [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5) officials;
  - (2) providing operational medical support to all components of the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5);
  - (3) as appropriate, providing medical liaisons to the components of the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5), on a reimbursable basis, to provide subject matter expertise on operational medical issues;
  - (4) coordinating with Federal, [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), local, and [Tribal governments](/usc/6/701.md?p=16), the medical community, and others within and outside the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5), including the [Centers](/usc/6/681.md?p=1) for Disease Control and Prevention and the [Office](/usc/6/590.md?p=3) of the [Assistant Secretary](/usc/6/590.md?p=1) for Preparedness and Response of the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5) of Health and Human Services, with respect to medical and public health matters; and
  - (5) performing such other duties relating to such responsibilities as the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) may require.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–296, title XIX, § 1931, as added Pub. L. 115–387, § 2(c)(2), Dec. 21, 2018, 132 Stat. 5166.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Similar Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 321e of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 115–387, § 2(c)(1).