United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2020
Equitable Data Collection and Disclosure on COVID-19 Act This bill establishes the Commission on Ensuring Health Equity During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency and adds reporting requirements for certain demographic data related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Among other activities, the commission must (1) determine approaches to using data to reduce demographic disparities in COVID-19 prevalence and outcomes, and (2) submit findings and recommendations to Congress on a specified timeline until the end of the public health emergency. During the public health emergency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must publish, and update daily, data on COVID-19 testing, treatment, and outcomes that is disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and other demographic characteristics on the CDC website. In addition, the Indian Health Service shall consult with tribes with respect to COVID-19 data collection and reporting. The Department of Health and Human Services must make a summary of final statistics related to COVID-19 publicly available and report specified information to Congress within 60 days of the end of the public health emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2020
This resolution recognizes the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and addresses environmental challenges. It urges (1) the President to issue a proclamation recognizing the anniversary; and (2) governments and people to continue building upon the Paris Agreement and other efforts to ensure that future generations inherit a livable, sustainable, and ecologically rich planet. The resolution reaffirms that immediate action is needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to protect our planet, public health, and overall well-being of all people and wildlife. In addition, it encourages the American people to mark Earth Day by working to address environmental challenges, educate others about the need for year-round action, and honor the stewardship ethic for which Senator Gaylord Nelson stood.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2020
Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2020 This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish a program to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequities by, for example, coordinating activities across the CDC. As part of the program, the CDC must award grants to eligible organizations to build capacity to address social determinants of health. The CDC shall provide for an independent evaluation of certain grants and report findings to Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2020
COVID-19 Every Worker Protection Act of 2020 This bill requires the Department of Labor to promulgate both an emergency temporary occupational safety or health standard and a permanent standard to protect certain employees from occupational exposure to the coronavirus (i.e., the virus that causes COVID-19). These standards apply to health care sector employees, paramedic and emergency medical services employees, and other employees identified as having an elevated risk for exposure. Further, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must collect and make public information regarding employee exposure in these occupations and provide guidance to further protect such employees.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2020
Help Our Heroes Access Medicine Act of 2020 This bill allows the Department of Defense to waive cost-sharing requirements under the TRICARE pharmacy benefits program during a declared national or public health emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2020
Emergency Water is a Human Right Act This bill creates a grant program, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, to provide funds to states and Indian tribes to assist low-income households that pay a high proportion of household income for drinking water and wastewater services. Further, any entity receiving financial assistance under this grant program must ensure that no home energy service or public water system service is or remains disconnected or interrupted during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2020
Health Insurance Marketplace Affordability Act of 2020 This bill modifies the refundable tax credit for health care premium assistance to require an age rate adjustment to the applicable percentage used to determine the amount of such credit. The age rate adjustment for any individual shall be determined using a single national age rating curve specified in guidance by the Department of Health and Human Services and shall reflect market patterns in the individual health care market.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2020
Reopen America Act of 2020 This bill provides appropriations to support efforts to resume social and economic activity impacted by COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) and otherwise requires actions to support those efforts. For example, the bill provides appropriations for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to review state reopening plans and reimburse states for related expenses. States may submit plans that maximize economic and social activity while meeting certain public health goals, such as sufficient capacity in the health care system to treat patients without resorting to crisis standards of care. HHS must (1) approve plans, in consultation with the Treasury Department, that meet specified criteria; and (2) reimburse states for certain expenses related to implementing approved plans. HHS shall provide guidance on certain public health safeguards to assist states with developing reopening plans, and states shall provide HHS with information to evaluate implementation efforts. The federal government must ensure an adequate national supply of testing, protective gear, and other supplies to assist states with reopening plans. Additionally, the bill provides appropriations for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to carry out a program to evaluate various issues with respect to COVID-19 testing, in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The bill also establishes in the Defense Logistics Agency (1) the Coronavirus Health Equipment Production Board, and (2) the Coronavirus Reopening Advisory Panel. The board has certain responsibilities over procuring and distributing supplies and may, if necessary, use certain authorities granted to the President under the Defense Production Act of 1950. The panel must advise HHS and the agency concerning reopening plans and must regularly provide a public summary of such advice.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2020
Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0 This bill directs certain penalties assessed by the Securities Exchange Commission against pharmaceutical companies for specified violations to the 10-Year Pediatric Research Initiative Fund, an existing fund that supports pediatric disease research. In making allocations from that fund, the National Institutes of Health shall prioritize pediatric research that does not duplicate existing research activities.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2020
Ensuring Homeowner and Occupant Monetary Encouragement and Stability Act or the Ensuring HOMES Act This bill sets forth additional housing protections during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency period. Mortgage holders and lenders are prohibited from requiring payment on a mortgage deferred during the COVID-19 emergency period until the later of (1) the last day of the loan term, or (2) the end of the deferral period. The bill establishes the Tenant Protection Program that provides loans to landlords who waive rent during the COVID-19 emergency period. The bill also provides for forgiveness of these loans if the landlord provides lease extensions and agrees not to evict tenants. This bill applies retroactively to the beginning of the COVID-19 emergency period and applies to any future declared COVID-19 emergency period.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2020
This resolution recognizes the contributions of distribution, delivery, and warehousing workers during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic and calls upon the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to ensure that employers maintain safe workplaces for such workers.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2020
This resolution supports the goals of National Minority Health Month to bring attention to health disparities faced by minority populations and encourages federal and state governments to collect and publish racial and ethnic data related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2020
Business Interruption Insurance Coverage Act of 2020 This bill requires insurers that provide business interruption coverage to insure as part of this coverage losses from a viral pandemic, a government-ordered business closure or evacuation, or a power disruption conducted for public safety purposes. The bill also nullifies provisions in a business interruption insurance contract in force on the date of enactment that exclude such an event from coverage. An insurer may reinstate such an exclusion if (1) the insured authorizes the reinstatement in writing, or (2) the insured fails to pay the corresponding premium increase after adequate notice by the insurer of such an increase.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2020
State Operations Stabilization (SOS) Act This bill authorizes a state, tribal government, or unit of local government to use funds made available under the Coronavirus Relief Fund to reduce a budget deficit of such government that occurred due to a loss of revenue related to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2020
Worker Health Coverage Protection Act This bill provides health insurance premium assistance for individuals who become unemployed or are furloughed during or shortly after the coronavirus (i.e., the virus that causes COVID-19) public health emergency. Specifically, the bill treats premiums as paid for up to 15 months for individuals who (1) are terminated from employment and elect to continue insurance coverage through the COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) program or (2) receive a 20% or greater reduction in paid hours but remain eligible for coverage under a group health plan. Assistance is phased out based on adjusted gross income. The bill also specifies requirements for individuals changing, or enrolling in, health plans under the program. Additionally, the bill requires employers to provide eligible individuals specified written notice about the premium assistance program, including, among other information, available health plan enrollment options and the date that such assistance expires. The Department of the Treasury must reimburse employers, group health plans, and insurance issuers through a payroll tax credit or refund for unpaid premiums that were treated as paid under the program. Premium assistance is not considered income for federal income tax purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2020
Emergency Money for the People Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to make monthly payments during a specified 12-month period to certain citizens and noncitizens of the United States and their dependent children. The amount of such payments shall be $2,000 each month ($4,000 for married couples filing joint returns) and additional amounts for their dependent children. The monthly amount shall be phased out for individuals whose adjusted gross income exceeds $130,000 ($260,000 for joint return filers). The payments must begin within 14 days of the enactment of this bill. The bill allows such monthly payments for individuals who are not U.S. citizens or residents, but have been physically present in the United States continuously since January 27, 2020 (the effective date of the public health emergency resulting from the COVID-19 [i.e. coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic), and continue to be physically present in the United States throughout the duration of the payment period. If Treasury does not have sufficient tax return information to make payments to an eligible individual, it shall consult with the Department of Veteran Affairs and the Social Security Administration and any agency making pension or annuity payments to such individual.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2020
This bill modifies and establishes additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program of the Small Business Administration that was implemented in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill (1) extends the duration of the program; (2) authorizes loan recipients under the program to request additional, forgivable amounts; and (3) extends the deferral period for such loans to at least one year.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2020
Advancing Connectivity during the Coronavirus to Ensure Support for Seniors Act or the ACCESS Act This bill (1) provides appropriations for the Telehealth Resource Center Program of the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth within the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy in the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) to develop telehealth capacity for certain nursing facilities, and (2) directs other activities to increase access to telehealth services in such facilities during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency. HRSA shall award grants, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission, to skilled nursing facilities and other nursing facilities to support virtual visits to residents during the emergency. The Department of Health and Human Services must also provide recommendations related to immediately increasing access, during the emergency, to telehealth services for which Medicare and Medicaid payments are available in skilled and other nursing facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2020
This resolution supports the goals of National Minority Health Month to bring attention to health disparities faced by minority populations and encourages federal and state governments to collect and publish racial and ethnic data related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2020
Recovery Rebates Improvement Act This bill provides that the valid identification number requirement for the 2020 recovery rebates is satisfied for married couples filing joint tax returns if one spouse provides a valid number.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2020
Improving Access to Services Act This bill requires transportation planners to consider projects and strategies to improve safe and convenient access to certain services, including health care facilities, child care, and affordable housing. ( Access is the ability to travel by auto, transit, pedestrian, and bike networks measured in terms of travel times, with impedances for level of travel stress for active travel and costs for low income travelers.) The Department of Transportation must establish minimum standards for states to use in determining and improving safe and convenient access to certain services for all users by all modes of travel. If a state fails to improve access, it must obligate 10% of federal transportation funds apportioned to such state from the previous fiscal year into its efforts to meet the minimum standards to improve access. The bill prohibits metropolitan transportation planning organizations from approving a transportation improvement plan that increases the ratio of automobile to non-automobile access in urbanized areas.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2020
Improving Access to Jobs Act This bill requires transportation planners to consider projects and strategies to improve safe and convenient access to employment. ( Access is the ability to travel by auto, transit, pedestrian, and bike networks measured in terms of travel times, with impedances for level of travel stress for active travel and costs for low income travelers.) The Department of Transportation must establish minimum standards for states to use in determining and improving safe and convenient access to employment for all users by all modes of travel. If a state fails to improve access, it must obligate 10% of federal transportation funds apportioned to such state from the previous fiscal year into its efforts to meet the minimum standards to improve access. The bill prohibits metropolitan transportation planning organizations from approving a transportation improvement plan that increases the ratio of automobile to non-automobile access in urbanized areas.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2020
Medical Debt Relief Act of 2020 This bill modifies requirements related to the reporting of medical debt. Specifically, a consumer reporting agency may not add certain medical debt information to a consumer credit report. Also, a debt collector may not report certain medical debt information to a consumer reporting agency within a specified time period and must notify the consumer prior to reporting such medical debt.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2020
This bill provides funding for FY2020 for child and adult-dependent care services for essential workers. Essential workers include (1) health-sector employees, (2) emergency responders, (3) sanitation workers, (4) employees of businesses required to remain open during the public health emergency declared on January 31, 2020, and (5) other workers a state deems essential and who are unable to telework. Eligibility for such funding is not based on income.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2020
Coronavirus Community Relief Act This bill provides $250 billion for certain localities affected by the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. Specifically, the bill provides funding for FY2020 for units of local government with a population of 500,000 or less. Payment shall be made within 30 days after submission of a specified certification by the locality. The amount of the payment is proportional to population. Local governments shall use the funds provided to cover only those costs that (1) are necessary and related to the public health emergency caused by COVID-19, and (2) were incurred during the period of March 1-December 30, 2020. The Office of Inspector General of the Department of the Treasury shall conduct monitoring and oversight of the receipt, disbursement, and use of funds.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2020
COVID–19 Price Gouging Prevention Act This bill makes it unlawful for any person to sell or offer for sale a consumer good or service during a public health emergency resulting from COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) at a price that (1) is unconscionably excessive, and (2) indicates that the seller is using the circumstances related to the public health emergency to increase prices unreasonably.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2020
Coronavirus Immigrant Families Protection Act This bill addresses immigration issues related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) and otherwise makes changes to certain COVID-19 response activities, benefits, and programs. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) must temporarily limit in-person immigration proceedings, and, during the COVID-19 emergency, DHS, DOJ, and the Department of State shall not take certain adverse immigration actions. In addition, an individual's use of certain assistance related to COVID-19 may not be considered in current or future immigration determinations concerning that individual. The bill includes pandemics within the scope of specified disaster and emergency laws and modifies nutrition and other benefits during such emergencies. For example, states may receive Medicaid payments for COVID-19 testing, vaccines, and treatment for certain unlawful aliens, and individuals who use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number may receive cash assistance related to the COVID-19 response. In addition, individuals may not be excluded from participating in COVID-19 response programs due to actual or perceived immigration status. To ensure the availability of information related to COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must (1) establish programs for eligible community-based organizations to develop preparedness materials that are culturally and linguistically appropriate, and (2) translate materials and operate telephone hotlines in specified languages. Agencies that receive funding under a law enacted in response to COVID-19 must also provide information about programs and opportunities in such languages.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2020
Food Assistance for Kids and Families During COVID-19 Act of 2020 This bill modifies food and nutrition programs of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to address COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). The bill modifies the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) to require USDA to (1) notify retailers of the existing opportunities through which they can deliver groceries to SNAP participants; and (2) authorize public-private partnerships between itself, authorized SNAP retailers, and community-based organizations to support grocery delivery during the COVID-19 national emergency. The bill provides funding for USDA to support grocery delivery for SNAP participants who are seniors, immunocompromised individuals, or other individuals who are unable to travel safely to a grocery store. Additionally, the bill (1) extends the certification period under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) for infants to two years, instead of the current one year; and (2) authorizes states to increase the certification time under WIC for breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding women to two years postpartum. The bill also allows any federal agency charged with the administration of a federal assistance program to modify or waive administrative conditions during an emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2020
Food and Necessities During Public Emergencies Act of 2020 This bill provides that during an emergency declared under the National Emergencies Act or the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits may be used to purchase specified durable goods. Specifically, such goods shall include infant care necessities, household paper products, household cleaning products, and personal cleaning products.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2020
Pausing All New Detention and Ending Movement of Inmates for Coronavirus Act of 2020 or the PANDEMIC Act of 2020 This bill limits the transfer of prisoners between facilities during the public health emergency declared on January 31, 2020, relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). The Bureau of Prisons may take actions as necessary to expand capacity in any correctional facility.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2020
Securing the National Supply Chain Act of 2020 This bill provides various tax credits related to economically distressed zones, including a tax credit based on the amount of wages paid by an employer to employees in such a zone. The bill also establishes a procedure for state and local governments to apply for designation as an economically distressed zone.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2020
Suspend School Meal Debt Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture to reimburse each school food authority and local educational agency participating in the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program for unpaid meal fees owed to the authority or agency as of the date of the enactment of this bill. The bill also prohibits each school food authority and local educational agency from collecting unpaid meal fees or using a debt collector to collect such fees during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency. The prohibition ends 30 days after the date on which the public health emergency is terminated.
United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2020
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to provide low-interest loans to eligible health care organizations that anticipate revenue losses or higher operating costs due to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency. The bill provides appropriations for this purpose. Eligible organizations include but are not limited to hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and physician practices that participate in the Medicare or Medicaid program.
United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2020
Protect Our Post Offices Act This bill appropriates $25 billion to the U.S. Postal Service, to remain available through FY2022 for revenue forgone due to the coronavirus pandemic. The appropriations are designated as emergency spending, which is exempt from discretionary spending limits.
United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2020
Senior Legal Hotline Act of 2020 This bill permits the Administration on Aging to award competitive, matching grants to certain nonprofit organizations or partnerships to establish or maintain statewide senior legal hotlines to provide free services to older individuals. No more than one grant may be awarded in each state. Among other activities, grant recipients must establish referral mechanisms with, for example, other legal aid agencies and social services providers.
United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2020
All Dependent Children Count Act This bill extends the 2020 recovery rebates of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to all taxpayer dependents.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2020
This resolution recognizes the contributions of frontline workers and essential critical-infrastructure personnel and reaffirms the responsibility of Congress to meet the needs of such workers with respect to personal protective equipment and necessary tools to safely carry out their jobs.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2020
American-Made Protection for Healthcare Workers and First Responders Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that the strategic national stockpile includes a one-year supply of personal protective equipment (e.g., face masks and gloves). It also requires the Department of Homeland Security to establish a stockpile of such equipment for use by first responder agencies during a declared emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2020
Frontline Health Care Workers Assistance Act This bill directs certain actions to procure equipment necessary to prevent, identify, and mitigate cases of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). The National Response Coordination Center of the Federal Emergency Management Agency must, within seven days, submit a report to Congress and the President that (1) assesses the need for equipment, including personal protective equipment and ventilators, across the United States; and (2) identifies the industry sectors and manufacturers capable of fulfilling purchase orders for such equipment, as well as government-owned and privately owned stockpiles of such equipment that could be refurbished. Within 24 hours, the President must issue a purchase order with the highest priority rating under the Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) for a specified number of N-95 respirators and face masks. (DPAS is used to prioritize national defense-related contracts, subcontracts, and purchase orders.) Within seven days of receiving the center's report, the President must also issue priority purchase orders for the equipment identified in the report under authorities provided by the Defense Production Act of 1950. (That act confers upon the President a broad set of authorities to influence domestic industry in order to provide essential materials and goods for the national defense.) The bill waives certain requirements under the act related to congressional notification and authorization and makes specified funds available for these efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2020
Coronavirus Emergency Student Loan Refinancing Act This bill establishes refinancing programs for federal and private student loans. Specifically, the bill establishes a program that allows qualified borrowers to refinance their federal student loans down to lower interest rates. Such refinanced interest rates are (1) calculated based on the type of student loan (e.g., Stafford), and (2) fixed for the period of the loan. In addition, the bill creates the Federal Direct Refinanced Private Loan as a new type of loan. Such loans allow qualified borrowers to refinance their private education loans.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2020
Emergency Community Supervision Act This bill establishes measures to reduce the number of individuals in federal custody during a national emergency relating to a communicable disease. Specifically, it does the following: requires certain categories of inmates to be released and placed in community supervision (e.g., home confinement); limits the use of pretrial detention; and modifies supervised release, including to limit the use of incarceration as a sanction for a parole violation.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2020
This resolution calls on all public officials to condemn and denounce anti-Asian sentiment, racism, discrimination, and religious intolerance related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) and calls on federal law enforcement officials, working with state and local officials, to take specified steps. It calls on federal officials to expeditiously investigate and document all credible reports of hate crimes and incidents and threats against the Asian-American community and prosecute perpetrators. The resolution recommits U.S. leadership to (1) prioritize language access and inclusivity in communication practices, and (2) combat misinformation and discrimination that put Asian Americans at risk.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2020
Medical Supply Chain Emergency Act of 2020 This bill directs the President to use existing authorities under the Defense Production Act of 1950 with respect to the production of ventilators, N-95 respirator masks, and specified personal protective equipment to address COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). (That act confers upon the President a broad set of authorities to influence domestic industry in order to provide essential materials and goods needed for the national defense.) The President must (1) make a determination that such items are essential for the national defense, (2) identify private-sector capacity to produce these items, and (3) exercise authorities under the act to require emergency production of them at a reasonable price. In addition, the President shall coordinate the allocation of these items based on requests from governors and the needs of the states as determined by the number of COVID-19 cases and the proportion of the population at higher risk of the disease in a given state. The bill makes specified funds available for these efforts. Equipment produced under these authorities but unused at the termination of the COVID-19 emergency declared on March 13, 2020, shall be deposited into the Strategic National Stockpile.
United States · United States Congress · 24 March 2020
Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act of 2020 This bill directs specified components of the Department of Health and Human Services to take certain actions to address uterine fibroids (i.e., muscular tumors that grow in the wall of the uterus and may cause pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, and reproductive issues). Specifically, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), working through the Office of Research on Women's Health, must undertake research activities on uterine fibroids. In carrying out this research, the office must coordinate with specified components of the NIH and other federal agencies. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must (1) collect data from Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program about treatment and services related to uterine fibroids, and (2) develop a report in coordination with federal partners on federal and state expenditures for these treatments and services. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Health Resources Service Administration (HRSA), and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) must disseminate information about uterine fibroids, including the elevated risk for minority women and information regarding available treatments. Specifically, the CDC shall disseminate the information to the public, while HRSA and AHRQ shall disseminate it to health care providers.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2020
This bill establishes the congressional COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) Aid Oversight Panel to report on the use and impact of COVID-19 aid on financial markets and institutions. The bill also authorizes the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program to audit and investigate COVID-19 aid programs.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2020
Ensuring Coverage in Public Health Emergencies Act of 2020 This bill requires private health insurance plans to provide a 30-day special enrollment period for eligible individuals after a public health emergency is declared. An employee who is eligible but not enrolled may enroll in an employer-provided group health plan during the special enrollment period. The bill also requires such plans to cover services related to the disease or condition resulting in the public health emergency including, if applicable, vaccines, diagnostic testing, and treatment and care for the disease or condition. Such coverage does not require a positive diagnosis of the disease or condition and cost sharing must be comparable to similar services covered outside the circumstance of a public health emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2020
Immediate Relief for Rural Facilities and Providers Act of 2020 This bill establishes grant programs and other forms of financial assistance for health care providers in response to the national emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill establishes (1) a grant program to provide emergency assistance to critical access hospitals, certain rural hospitals, and providers participating in Medicare; (2) a grant program to provide emergency assistance to health care practices and ambulatory surgery centers for staff salaries; and (3) a loan program to provide low-interest loans to health care practices and ambulatory surgery centers. The bill also temporarily increases reimbursements to rural hospitals under the Medicare swing-bed program. (The program allows rural hospitals to use beds, as needed, for either acute care or skilled nursing facility care.)
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2020
Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic Notarization Act of 2020 This bill allows a notary public commissioned under state law to remotely notarize electronic records and requires recognition of notarizations performed under the laws of other states. Under the bill, a notary public may remotely notarize electronic records occurring in or affecting interstate commerce if (1) the individual and the notary public are able to electronically communicate by sight and sound simultaneously (i.e., by video chat); (2) the notary verifies the individual's identity and records the notarization; and (3) the notarization complies with other requirements, such as those relating to the attachment of a stamp or seal to the electronic record. Additionally, the bill allows a notary public to remotely notarize electronic records involving an individual located outside of the United States, subject to certain requirements. The bill also requires U.S. courts and states to recognize notarizations, including remote notarizations of electronic records, that occur in or affect interstate commerce and are performed by a notary public commissioned under the laws of other states.
![Official portrait of Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/115_rp_fl_9_soto_darren_200.jpg)