A bill to require the Secretary of Defense to carry out a pilot program under which the Secretary shall develop and implement a comprehensive wastewater surveillance system at certain installations of the Department of Defense, and for other purposes.

# S 3162 Summary **What the Bill Would Do:** This bill would require the Secretary of Defense to create and test a wastewater surveillance system at selected military installations. Wastewater surveillance involves testing sewage and wastewater to detect the presence of diseases and pathogens in a population—a public health monitoring technique that has become more common since the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill establishes this as a pilot program, meaning it would be tested at certain bases before potentially being expanded. **Who It Affects:** The primary organizations affected would be the Department of Defense and military installations across the country.

Secondarily, it could impact military personnel and civilian employees at those bases by providing an additional disease monitoring tool. The system could help detect disease outbreaks early among base populations. **Current Status:** The bill (S 3162) was introduced in the 119th Congress by Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been debated or voted on by the full Senate. The bill has not advanced to a vote as of now.