How Awareness and Prevention Protect You Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 7732 To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to carry out a national campaign to increase awareness and knowledge of the virus that causes COVID–19. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JULY 22, 2020 Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (for herself, Mr. HASTINGS, Ms. NORTON, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. DEUTCH, Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts, Ms. MENG, Mr. PAPPAS, Mrs. BEATTY, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Ms. SHALALA, Ms. SCANLON, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, and Mr. MFUME) intro- duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to carry out a national campaign to increase awareness and knowledge of the virus that causes COVID–19. 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 ‘‘How Awareness and 4 Prevention Protect You Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:03 Aug 10, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7732.IH H7732 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 7732 IH SEC. 2. COVID–19 PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN. 1 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after the 2 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and 3 Human Services, acting through the Director of the Cen- 4 ters for Disease Control and Prevention, shall carry out 5 a national awareness campaign to increase factual aware- 6 ness and knowledge of the virus that causes COVID–19. 7 (b) CONTENT.—The campaign under subsection (a) 8 shall— 9 (1) create awareness of the signs and symptoms 10 of the virus that causes COVID–19, including trans- 11 mission with respect to an asymptomatic individual; 12 (2) provide scientific information on the trans- 13 mission and detection of the virus that causes 14 COVID–19, including— 15 (A) the differences (including degrees of 16 risk) between transmission through droplets, 17 aerosolization, and inanimate objects; 18 (B) the risk of contracting the virus that 19 causes COVID–19 at health care facilities and 20 other facilities that treat individuals with 21 COVID–19; 22 (C) the benefits of health care workers 23 using personal protective equipment; 24 (D) the tests used to determine if an indi- 25 vidual— 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:03 Aug 10, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7732.IH H7732 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 7732 IH (i) has been infected by the virus that 1 causes COVID–19; and 2 (ii) is infected by such virus at the 3 time of the test; and 4 (E) the strategies used by Federal, State, 5 and local governments to reduce the trans- 6 mission of COVID–19; 7 (3) provide strategies for preventing trans- 8 mission of COVID–19 in the home and at work, in- 9 cluding best practices with respect to— 10 (A) wearing and removing face masks, face 11 coverings, and gloves; 12 (B) physical distancing in outdoor and in- 13 door spaces; 14 (C) disinfecting surfaces with appropriate 15 cleaning products; and 16 (D) isolating a household member who is 17 suspected or confirmed of contracting COVID– 18 19; and 19 (4) improve public understanding with respect 20 to how an infectious disease develops into a public 21 health threat, including— 22 (A) the need for a vaccine and method of 23 treatment; 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:03 Aug 10, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7732.IH H7732 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 7732 IH (B) factors that contribute to the trans- 1 mission of an infectious disease in the popu- 2 lation; and 3 (C) factors that may contribute to sci- 4 entific uncertainty with respect to the trans- 5 mission of an infectious disease. 6 (c) REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out subsection (a), 7 the Secretary shall— 8 (1) ensure the campaign under subsection (a)— 9 (A) contains multilingual and culturally 10 appropriate information and distribution strate- 11 gies; 12 (B) contains information that is updated 13 on a monthly basis; and 14 (C) is targeted toward communities and 15 populations that are at a high risk of con- 16 tracting COVID–19 (as determined by the Sec- 17 retary); and 18 (2) partner with community- and faith-based 19 organizations. 20 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 21 are authorized to be appropriated $130,000,000 for each 22 of fiscal years 2021 through 2023. 23 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:23 Aug 14, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H7732.IH H7732 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS