The Secretary shall award competitive grants to eligible entities to address core public health capacity needs using the capacities developed under section 247d–1 of this title, with a particular focus on building capacity to identify, detect, monitor, and respond to threats to the public health.

A State or political subdivision of a State, or a consortium of two or more States or political subdivisions of States, that has completed an evaluation under section 247d–2 (a) of this title, or an evaluation that is substantially equivalent as determined by the Secretary under section 247d–2 (a) of this title, shall be eligible for grants under subsection (a) of this section.

An eligible entity that receives a grant under subsection (a) of this section, may use funds received under such grant to—

No later than January 1, 2005, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Commerce and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report that describes the activities carried out under this section and sections 247d–1 and 247d–2 of this title.

Funds appropriated under this section shall be used to supplement and not supplant other Federal, State, and local public funds provided for activities under this section.