Emerging Legislation & Regulations

Correspondence with Congress and Executive Branch Agencies

SHEA leaders inform public policy through correspondence with federal government agencies and Congressional committees. This section summarizes SHEA’s most recent letters and federal docket submissions.

Letter to HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in support of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC)
Author: SHEA, APIC, IDSA, PIDS
Date Published: March 2025
Joint society letter urging the retention of HICPAC as an essential panel of experts and to maintain and enhance the critical work of developing evidence-based guidelines to prevent the spread of infectious pathogens in healthcare settings. (view comments)
Request for Information: Next Generation CURES bill
Author: SHEA
Date Published: August 2024
SHEA comments on the pandemic preparedness and antibiotic resistance provisions included in the CURES 2.0 legislation and suggestions on how these important provisions should be updated. We look forward to working with you and your staff on enacting this important legislation. (view comments)
Proposed Rule: Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2025 Rates; Quality Programs Requirements; and Other Policy Changes
Author: SHEA
Date Published: June 2024
Comments submitted to the CMS docket in response to proposed changes to the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program, The Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction Program, Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Program, PPS-Exempt Cancer Hospital Quality Reporting (PCHQR) Program, Long0Term Care Hospital Quality Reporting Program (LTCH QRP), Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program. (view comments)
Request for Information (RFI): Inviting Comments and Suggestions on NIAID’s Strategic Plan (Notice Number: NOT-AI-24-032)
Author: SHEA
Date Published: May 2024
Comments to NIAID recommending NIAID expand research for antimicrobial resistance to include HAI prevention and support for funding multicenter, investigator-initiated research. (view comments)
Strengthening Oversight of Accrediting Organizations (AOs) and Preventing AO Conflict of Interest, and Related Provisions
Author: SHEA
Date Published: April 2024
Comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in support of CMS’ proposed new requirements for accrediting organizations (AOs) to address conflicts of interests, inconsistencies with the implementation of standards, and issues pertaining to the quality of healthcare facility surveys. (view comments)
Letter to Congressional leaders re: Preserve NHSN funding line in FY 2024
Author: SHEA
Date Published: January 2024
A letter to leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees advocating for sustained funding for the National Healthcare Safety Network for FY 2024 (view comments)
National Action Plan to Prevent Health Care-Associated Infections – Proposed New Targets for 2023 – 2028
Author: SHEA, PIDS, IDSA, SIDP
Date Published: January 13, 2023
Comments submitted to the Department of Health and Human Services in response to proposed new baseline new reduction targets for healthcare-associated infections (HAI) during the period 2023-2028. (view comments)
Occupational Exposure to COVID–19 in Healthcare Settings – Limited Reopening of the Comment Period for Docket No. OSHA-2020-0004
Author: SHEA
Date Published: May 23, 2022
Written comments following oral testimony delivered during a hearing hosted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Date Published: April 27, 2022
Oral testimony delivered by SHEA President Sharon B. Wright, MD, MPH, FIDSA, FSHEA during a hearing hosted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Call for Public Comments: Draft 2023-2026 National Health Security Strategy
Author: SHEA
Date Published: March 11, 2022
Comments to the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in response to the draft National Health Security Strategy. (view comments)
Emergency Temporary Standard: Occupational Exposure to COVID-19
Author: SHEA
Date Published: August 19, 2021
Comments submitted to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in support of protections for healthcare personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic public health emergency. (view comments)
Testimony of Lisa L. Maragakis, MD, MPH before Science, Space, and Technology – Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, September 23, 2020 re: Hospital Reporting of COVID-19 Data for the Pandemic Response
Author: SHEA
Date Published: September 23, 2020
Concerns expressed on behalf of SHEA regarding the integrity of COVID-19 hospital data reported to the Department of Health and Human Services and the White House Coronavirus Task Force. (view comments)