Masks for All Act of 2020

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 7607 To condition the receipt of funds with respect to COVID–19 on requiring the use of face coverings in public, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JULY 13, 2020 Ms. WILSON of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To condition the receipt of funds with respect to COVID– 19 on requiring the use of face coverings in public, 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 ‘‘Masks for All Act of 4 2020’’. 5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 6 Congress finds the following: 7 (1) The widespread use of face coverings by the 8 public is essential to help slow the spread of the 9 virus that causes COVID–19 and help prevent the 10 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:07 Aug 06, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7607.IH H7607 tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 7607 IH transmission of such virus by individuals who do not 1 show symptoms. 2 (2) The Government has an interest in encour- 3 aging the use of face coverings in public and each 4 place of business to protect the health of populations 5 that are at a higher risk of developing severe illness 6 from COVID–19, including— 7 (A) the immunocompromised; 8 (B) individuals who are 65 years of age or 9 older; and 10 (C) individuals living with chronic lung dis- 11 ease, moderate to severe asthma, serious heart 12 conditions, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, se- 13 vere obesity, or liver disease. 14 (3) Overwhelming scientific evidence has shown 15 that face coverings block a high portion of res- 16 piratory droplets that spread the virus that causes 17 COVID–19. 18 (4) Evidence from an international cross-dis- 19 ciplinary review of scientific research has shown 20 that— 21 (A) using a face covering in public is most 22 effective at reducing the spread of COVID–19 23 when compliance is high; and 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:07 Aug 06, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7607.IH H7607 tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 7607 IH (B) transmission in a community is sub- 1 stantially lower when individuals are required to 2 use a face covering or where the use of a face 3 covering is widespread. 4 (5) The widespread use of face coverings sub- 5 stantially reduces the number of fatalities, the cases 6 of severe illness, and continued economic losses that 7 result from transmission of the virus that causes 8 COVID–19. 9 (6) The widespread use of face coverings is nec- 10 essary (but not sufficient) to slow the spread of the 11 virus that causes COVID–19 and should be pro- 12 moted along with regular handwashing, social 13 distancing, testing, and minimizing nonessential ac- 14 tivities outside of the household. 15 SEC. 3. USE OF FACE COVERINGS IN PUBLIC. 16 (a) CONDITIONAL FUNDING WITH RESPECT TO 17 FACE COVERINGS.—The Secretary of Health and Human 18 Services (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’), act- 19 ing through the Director of the Centers for Disease Con- 20 trol and Prevention, shall require each State, territory, 21 local government, and Tribal government to, as a condi- 22 tion on the receipt of COVID–19 funds and funds under 23 a provision of a covered law, require, subject to the excep- 24 tions specified in subsection (b), the use of face coverings 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:07 Aug 06, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7607.IH H7607 tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 7607 IH during the emergency period in public, including in each 1 place of business, in the respective jurisdiction. 2 (b) EXCEPTIONS.—The exceptions specified in this 3 subsection are that a requirement implemented pursuant 4 to subsection (a) may not apply to— 5 (1) outdoor spaces where individuals may main- 6 tain a distance of at least 6 feet from other individ- 7 uals who are not members of the same household; 8 and 9 (2) any individual who— 10 (A) is under 2 years of age; 11 (B) has a medical condition in which wear- 12 ing a face covering could obstruct the ability of 13 the individual to breathe; 14 (C) is unable to remove a face covering 15 without assistance; and 16 (D) is receiving a service that requires 17 temporary removal of the face covering, includ- 18 ing a service with respect to a food or beverage. 19 (c) GRANTS TO PROMOTE FACE COVERINGS.— 20 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after 21 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 22 may award grants to States, territories, and Tribal 23 governments to promote access to face coverings for 24 the purpose of minimizing the risk of exposure to 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:07 Aug 06, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7607.IH H7607 tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 7607 IH COVID–19, including installing face covering dis- 1 pensers in public. 2 (2) APPLICATION.—To be eligible for a grant 3 under this section, a State, territory, and Tribal gov- 4 ernment shall submit to the Secretary an application 5 at such time, in such form, and containing such in- 6 formation as the Secretary determines appropriate, 7 including a certification that the State will meet the 8 requirements under paragraph (3). 9 (3) USE OF FUNDS.—A State, territory, and 10 Tribal government that receives a grant under this 11 section shall use grant funds to promote access to 12 face coverings for the purpose of minimizing the risk 13 of exposure to COVID–19 in accordance with— 14 (A) guidelines determined necessary by the 15 Secretary; and 16 (B) guidelines provided by the Centers for 17 Disease Control and Prevention with respect to 18 the use of face coverings. 19 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 20 (1) COVERED LAW.—The term ‘‘covered law’’ 21 means each of the following: 22 (A) The Coronavirus Preparedness and 23 Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:07 Aug 06, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7607.IH H7607 tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 7607 IH 2020 (Public Law 116–123), or an amendment 1 made by that Act. 2 (B) The Families First Coronavirus Re- 3 sponse Act (Public Law 116–127), or an 4 amendment made by that Act. 5 (C) The CARES Act (Public Law 116– 6 136), or an amendment made by that Act. 7 (D) The Paycheck Protection Program and 8 Health Care Enhancement Act (Public Law 9 116–139), or an amendment made by that Act. 10 (E) Other laws with respect to relief from 11 the COVID–19 pandemic. 12 (2) COVID–19 FUNDS.—The term ‘‘COVID–19 13 funds’’ means funds provided to a State, territory, 14 local government, and Tribal government through 15 any grants or cooperative agreements for prepared- 16 ness and response to the COVID–19 pandemic, in- 17 cluding funds provided through cooperative agree- 18 ments with the Centers for Disease Control and Pre- 19 vention. 20 (3) EMERGENCY PERIOD.—The term ‘‘emer- 21 gency period’’ has the meaning given that term in 22 section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 23 U.S.C. 1320b–5(g)(1)(B)). 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:07 Aug 06, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7607.IH H7607 tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with BILLS 7 •HR 7607 IH (4) FACE COVERING.—The term ‘‘face cov- 1 ering’’ means any material that covers the nose and 2 mouth of an individual. 3 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 4 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 5 $75,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2021 through 6 2022. 7 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:07 Aug 06, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H7607.IH H7607 tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with BILLS