COVID–19 Cost Share Adjustment Relief Act of 2020

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 6669 To modify the Federal cost share of assistance provided under the emergency declaration issued by the President on March 13, 2020, relating to COVID–19, to modify the activities eligible for assistance under such emergency declaration, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY 1, 2020 Mr. DEFAZIO (for himself, Mrs. LOWEY, Ms. TITUS, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, and Mr. PAYNE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infra- structure A BILL To modify the Federal cost share of assistance provided under the emergency declaration issued by the President on March 13, 2020, relating to COVID–19, to modify the activities eligible for assistance under such emergency declaration, and for other purposes. 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 ‘‘COVID–19 Cost Share 4 Adjustment Relief Act of 2020’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:19 May 13, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6669.IH H6669 SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 6669 IH SEC. 2. COST SHARE. 1 Assistance provided under the emergency declaration 2 issued by the President on March 13, 2020, pursuant to 3 section 501(b) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 4 and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5191(b)), and 5 under any subsequent major disaster declaration under 6 section 401 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) that supersedes 7 such emergency declaration, shall be at a 100 percent 8 Federal cost share. 9 SEC. 3. CLARIFICATION OF ASSISTANCE. 10 (a) IN GENERAL.—For the emergency declared on 11 March 13, 2020, by the President under section 501 of 12 the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency As- 13 sistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5191), the President may provide 14 assistance for activities, costs, and purchases of States or 15 local governments or the owners or operators of eligible 16 private nonprofits, including— 17 (1) activities eligible for assistance under sec- 18 tions 301, 415, 416, and 426 of the Robert T. Staf- 19 ford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 20 (42 U.S.C. 5141, 5182, 5183, 5189d); 21 (2) backfill costs for first responders and other 22 essential employees who are ill or quarantined; 23 (3) increased operating costs for essential gov- 24 ernment services due to such emergency, including 25 costs for implementing continuity plans, and shel- 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:19 May 13, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6669.IH H6669 SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 6669 IH tering or housing for first responders, emergency 1 managers, health providers, and other essential em- 2 ployees; 3 (4) costs of providing guidance and information 4 to the public and for call centers to disseminate such 5 guidance and information; 6 (5) costs associated with establishing and oper- 7 ating virtual services; 8 (6) costs for establishing and operating remote 9 test sites; 10 (7) training provided specifically in anticipation 11 of or in response to the event on which such emer- 12 gency declaration is predicated; 13 (8) personal protective equipment and other 14 critical supplies for first responders and other essen- 15 tial employees; 16 (9) medical equipment, regardless of whether 17 such equipment is used for emergency or inpatient 18 care; 19 (10) public health costs, including provision and 20 distribution of medicine and medical supplies; and 21 (11) costs associated with maintaining alternate 22 care facilities or related facilities currently inactive 23 but related to future needs tied to the ongoing pan- 24 demic event. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:19 May 13, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6669.IH H6669 SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 6669 IH (b) MAJOR DISASTER.—The activities described in 1 subsection (a) may also be eligible for assistance under 2 any major disaster declared by the President under section 3 401 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) that supersedes the 4 emergency declaration described in such subsection. 5 (c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec- 6 tion shall be construed to make ineligible any assistance 7 that would otherwise be eligible under section 403 or 502 8 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b, 5192). 9 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:19 May 13, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H6669.IH H6669 SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with BILLS