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116TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 7923
To authorize the President to suspend or waive civil enforcement of any
rule for certain purposes during the coronavirus pandemic, and for other
purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AUGUST 4, 2020
Mr. COMER (for himself, Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana, Mr. ARMSTRONG, Mr.
CLOUD, Ms. FOXX of North Carolina, Mr. NORMAN, Mr. GREEN of Ten-
nessee, and Mr. KELLER) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform
A BILL
To authorize the President to suspend or waive civil enforce-
ment of any rule for certain purposes during the
coronavirus pandemic, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Pandemic Recovery
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Enforcement Flexibility Act of 2020’’.
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SEC. 2. PRESIDENTIAL WAIVER.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—During the covered period, the
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President may order the suspension or waiver of civil en-
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forcement of any rule for any of the following reasons re-
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lated to the response to the coronavirus pandemic or
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strengthening recovery from the pandemic:
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(1) Enforcement of the rule would unreasonably
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inhibit or impede efforts to respond to SARS–CoV–
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2.
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(2) Enforcement of the rule would unreasonably
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inhibit or impede health or economic recovery by—
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(A) persons infected by SARS–CoV–2;
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(B) individuals or entities that supported
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or support persons infected by SARS–CoV–2;
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or
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(C) entities that qualify as small entities
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within the meaning of section 601(6) of title 5,
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United States Code, and the employees, con-
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tractors, or investors of those small entities.
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(3) Enforcement of the rule would otherwise
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unreasonably inhibit or impede health, economic per-
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formance, or the stability of wages or employment
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during the covered period, including by inhibiting or
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impeding—
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(A) access to health care or health care
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equipment or supplies;
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(B) access to employment;
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(C) access to public or private assistance;
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(D) consumer or business spending, invest-
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ment, or access to capital or credit; or
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(E) other consumer or business activity,
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including hiring and education or retraining.
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(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
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(1)
CORONAVIRUS
PANDEMIC.—The
term
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‘‘coronavirus pandemic’’ means the SARS–CoV–2
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pandemic of 2019–2020.
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(2) COVERED PERIOD.—The term ‘‘covered pe-
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riod’’ means the period that—
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(A) begins on the date of the enactment of
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this section; and
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(B) ends on the date that is 1 year after
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the date on which the public health emergency
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declared under section 319 of the Public Health
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Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) as a result of the
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coronavirus pandemic expires, or any renewal
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thereof.
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(3) RULE.—The term ‘‘rule’’ has the meaning
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given that term in section 551 of title 5, United
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States Code.
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(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
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tion may be construed to mean that the President lacks
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any other authority to suspend or waive enforcement of
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any rule.
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Æ
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