I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 6040 To amend the Small Business Act to ensure small businesses affected by the onset of communicable diseases are eligible for disaster relief. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 28, 2020 Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ (for herself, Ms. JUDY CHU of California, and Ms. MENG) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Small Business A BILL To amend the Small Business Act to ensure small businesses affected by the onset of communicable diseases are eligi- ble for disaster relief. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Small Business Relief 4 From Communicable Disease Induced Economic Hardship 5 Act of 2020’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:40 Mar 04, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6040.IH H6040 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 6040 IH SEC. 2. ECONOMIC INJURY LOANS FOR COMMUNICABLE 1 DISEASES. 2 (a) DEFINITION OF A DISASTER.—Section 3(k)(2) of 3 the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(k)(2)) is amend- 4 ed— 5 (1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 6 the end; 7 (2) in subparagraph (C), striking the period 8 and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 9 (3) by adding at the end the following: 10 ‘‘(D) a communicable disease for which the 11 Federal Government has issued a travel alert or 12 travel warning.’’. 13 (b) TERMS.—Section 7(b)(2) of the Small Business 14 Act (15 U.S.C. 636(b)(2)) is amended— 15 (1) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period 16 at the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; 17 (2) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the fol- 18 lowing: 19 ‘‘(E) a disaster described under section 20 3(k)(2)(D) for which the Federal Government 21 has issued a public health emergency.’’; and 22 (3) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘A loan 23 made pursuant to a disaster described under sub- 24 paragraph (E) shall not require the payment of in- 25 terest.’’. 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:40 Mar 04, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6040.IH H6040 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 6040 IH (c) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by this 1 section shall apply to a communicable disease— 2 (1) for which the Federal Government issues a 3 travel alert or travel warning before, on, or after the 4 date of enactment of this Act; and 5 (2) the effects of which are experienced on or 6 after the date of enactment of this Act. 7 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:40 Mar 04, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H6040.IH H6040 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS