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1,101 records in US in 2020
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2020
Hazard Pay Expansion Act This bill permits the uniformed services to pay hazardous duty pay to a servicemember who, during a declared national public health emergency, performs duty deemed hazardous based upon frequent exposure to the cause of that public health emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2020
This bill establishes a task force in the Department of Health and Human Services to study (1) impacts of, including financial costs related to, physician shortages; and (2) barriers faced by foreign-trained physicians practicing in the United States. The task force must submit a report detailing its findings and recommendations to Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2020
Pandemic Rapid Response Act This bill establishes the National Commission on the COVID-19 Pandemic in the legislative branch and sets forth its powers, duties, funding, and membership. Specifically, the commission shall (1) investigate the facts and circumstances of the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, (2) evaluate lessons learned regarding preparedness and response activities, and (3) report findings and make recommendations on preventing a similar outbreak from occurring in the future. The commission must avoid duplicating the work of other government entities and terminates 60 days after the submission of its final report.
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
This bill requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation to report comparative data on background checks conducted by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System during the public health emergency declared on January 31, 2020, relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), and background checks conducted during the equivalent period of 2019.
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 · 3 April 2020
National Commission Regarding the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Act or the COVID-19 Commission Act This bill establishes, in the legislative branch, the National Commission Regarding the 2019 Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic and sets forth its powers, duties, funding, and membership. Among other activities, the commission shall investigate the facts and circumstances of the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic and make recommendations to improve preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. The commission terminates 60 days after the submission of its final report.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2020
Health Care Worker and First Responder Social Security Beneficiaries Choice Act This bill excludes wages from employment in the health care workforce or as a first responder between January 2020 and December 2020 from income limits that apply to certain Social Security benefits. Currently, beneficiaries who are younger than full retirement age and who earn more than specified income thresholds incur a reduction in Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance benefits.
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
Li Wenliang Global Public Health Accountability Act of 2020 This bill authorizes the President to impose property- and visa-blocking sanctions on foreign individuals and entities involved in deliberate acts to conceal or distort information about a public health emergency of international concern, including COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the President may impose sanctions on (1) a government official (or a senior associate of such an official) who is responsible for or complicit in deliberate acts to conceal or distort information about an international public health emergency, or who financially benefits from such acts; or (2) a foreign person or entity that has materially assisted or supported such acts.
United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2020
Protecting Cures Act of 2020 This bill prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from withholding funding, because of ethical considerations, for research activities that use human fetal tissue, provided that the research activities have been recommended for approval by an institutional review board and otherwise comply with existing laws concerning human fetal tissue. The bill also establishes that this research is not unethical by deeming the 1988 report of the Human Fetal Tissue Transplantation Research Panel as meeting relevant statutory requirements with respect to approving the ethical status of such research.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2020
This bill directs the President to use existing authorities under the Defense Production Act of 1950 to ensure the supply of ventilators, N-95 respirator masks, and other 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 the ventilators and protective equipment are essential for the national defense; (2) identify private-sector capacity to produce such equipment; and (3) exercise authorities under the act to mitigate, where possible, the dependency of the United States on overseas sources and to ensure the supply of such equipment. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, the agency coordinating the response shall submit weekly reports to Congress on the status and distribution of such equipment.
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 · 27 March 2020
Emergency Advance Refill Notification Act of 2020 This bill requires private health insurance plans that cover prescription drugs to notify plan holders about the plan's policy concerning advance drug refills in response to a national or public health emergency. Specifically, the plan must notify plan holders in emergency areas whether the plan is waiving time limits on authorized prescription refills and, if so, the process for obtaining an early refill. Plans must issue such notification within five days of an emergency being declared. Concerning the public health emergency declared in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), a plan must provide initial notification of its waiver policy not later than five days after this bill is enacted.
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 · 25 March 2020
This resolution condemns the Chinese government's decision to hide the emergence and spread of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) within China. It also calls for an investigation by public health officials from the United States and other affected countries into how China's actions contributed to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
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 · 25 March 2020
Strengthening America's Supply Chain and National Security Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take specified actions concerning the importation of pharmaceutical products from China and any other countries selected by DOD. DOD must submit to Congress a classified report that addresses, among other issues, the percentage of pharmaceutical products used by DOD that are made by such countries and recommendations related to the domestic manufacturing capacity and the resiliency of the supply chain for such products. An unclassified summary of this report must be published on a DOD website. A manufacturer of a pharmaceutical product that has received market approval must annually submit to HHS specified information about the product's active and inactive pharmaceutical ingredients, including the sources of such ingredients and the percentage of the aggregate amount of such ingredients from China and other countries selected by DOD. HHS shall provide such information to DOD. In addition, the bill revises certain statutory tests used to determine the country of origin of a pharmaceutical product. Specifically, a pharmaceutical product shall be deemed to have the same country of origin as the product's active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). (A recent court case held that a drug manufactured in the United States using an API from India is considered a U.S.-made product for procurement purposes.)
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2020
Department of Defense Healthcare Billing Report Act This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to evaluate the billing practices of the Department of Defense (DOD) for care received under the TRICARE program (a health care program operated by DOD for servicemembers, military retirees, and their dependents) or at military medical treatment facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2020
This resolution salutes health care professionals and expresses gratitude to the people of the United States for doing their part to stop the spread of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2020
COVID-19 Workers First Protection Act of 2020 This bill addresses the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency, including by requiring occupational standards to protect workers from COVID-19 exposure. Within one month of the bill's enactment, the Department of Labor must establish emergency temporary standards to protect health care sector employees, first responders, and other elevated-risk employees from occupational exposure to COVID-19. Labor shall establish permanent standards within 24 months of the bill's enactment. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shall collect data and analyze reports on cases of COVID-19 among the employees covered by the emergency temporary standards. The bill also conditions a medical facility's receipt of certain Medicare funds on the facility's compliance with the permanent standards established under the bill.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2020
This bill extends the tax credit for health insurance costs to eligible national defense or infrastructure workers. An eligible national defense or infrastructure worker is an individual who was employed in a critical industry as of January 31, 2020, filed for unemployment compensation after such date, and is covered by health insurance. A critical industry is an industry related to critical national infrastructure or national defense and is severely distressed due to COVID-19 (i.e., the coronavirus disease 2019). The bill also extends the tax credit through 2022.
United States · United States Congress · 24 March 2020
Ending Price-Gouging During Emergencies Act This bill makes it unlawful for any person to sell or offer for sale a designated consumer good or service during a public health emergency 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. The Federal Emergency Management Agency may issue proclamations designating necessary goods and services to which these prohibitions apply. The bill requires enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission and imposes enhanced civil and criminal penalties for violations of prohibitions. It also authorizes a state attorney general to bring a civil action to enforce the prohibitions of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 24 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 · 24 March 2020
This resolution condemns the Chinese government's decision to hide the emergence and spread of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) within China. It also calls for an investigation by public health officials from the United States and other affected countries into how China's actions contributed to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
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
Small Business Relief Guaranteed Loan Program Act of 2020 This bill requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to carry out a temporary program to guarantee loans made by banks or other lenders to small businesses affected by COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Such loans shall be zero-interest, fee-free loans, and up to 50% of the principal on such loans shall be forgiven if a recipient demonstrates that its employment has not decreased between December 31, 2019, and December 31, 2021. In addition to permitted uses of SBA loans, such guaranteed loans may also be used for purposes such as providing employees of the borrower with (1) benefits and wages, (2) technology for shifting to telework or remote work, or (3) necessary items specified by a public health authority to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2020
This bill authorizes additional funds for FY2020 and FY2021 for expenditures under the Defense Production Act of 1950 for medical ventilators, personal protection equipment, and other medical supplies to respond to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). The Department of Commerce must report every three months on such expenditures.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2020
Public Health Emergency Shelter Act of 2020 This bill authorizes additional grants under the Emergency Solutions Grants program to assist individuals and families experiencing a housing crisis or homelessness and to otherwise address needs arising from the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public-health emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2020
This bill requires certain issuers of securities to report to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), during a global pandemic, information related to risks faced by the issuer. Specifically, if the World Health Organization declares a pandemic, an issuer must disclose to the SEC risks faced by the issuer, including risks to health and safety faced by employees and independent contractors; mitigation measures, including those taken to protect the workforce's wages, health care, and leave; and the effect the pandemic may have on the issuer's business, solvency, and workforce. The SEC must make such reports publicly available on its website.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2020
Universal Coronavirus Vaccine Act This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to administer approved vaccines for COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) when they become available. HHS must take steps to ensure that individuals do not incur out-of-pocket costs for such vaccines.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2020
This bill temporarily allows financial regulators to waive cost-sharing and program requirements for certain state, territory, and local government grants. Financial regulators may permit these funds to be reprogrammed for purposes related to unemployment, childcare, or healthcare.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2020
Ensuring Affordable Housing Security During the Coronavirus Emergency Act of 2020 This bill provides for housing assistance during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency. Specifically, tenants in certain federally assisted housing shall not be required to make rent payments from the date of the bill's enactment until six months after the end of the COVID-19 emergency declaration. The Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Agriculture must reimburse public housing agencies (PHAs) and owners of federally assisted housing for these suspended rent payments, including any increase in low-income housing choice voucher assistance payments made by PHAs to compensate for the suspended rent payments.
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
Pandemic Healthcare Access Act This bill preserves the eligibility of health savings account (HSA) participants covered by any health plan during the coronavirus emergency period. The coronavirus emergency period is the period beginning on March 13, 2020, and ending on the later of (1) the last day on which a presidential declaration of emergency under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act with respect to the coronavirus (i.e., the virus that causes COVID-19) is in effect, or (2) the last day on which a presidential declaration of national emergency under the National Emergencies Act with respect to the coronavirus is in effect.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2020
Increasing Hospital Capacity to Fight the Coronavirus Act of 2020 This bill allows unapproved capital expenses that are made by health care facilities during the public health emergency declared on January 31, 2020, relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) to be included in federal payment determinations under Medicare and Medicaid.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2020
Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act This bill responds to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) outbreak and its impact on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses. The bill provides FY2020 supplemental appropriations for federal agencies to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak. The supplemental appropriations are designated as emergency spending, which is exempt from discretionary spending limits. In addition, the bill expands paid sick days, family and medical leave, unemployment compensation, and food assistance programs; provides economic assistance payments of up to $1,500 per individual; eliminates cost-sharing (e.g., deductibles, coinsurance, or copayments) for COVID-19 treatments and vaccines; requires health care facilities to implement a comprehensive infectious disease exposure control plan to protect health care workers; provides grants, loans, and other assistance to hospitals, small businesses, state and local governments, elementary and secondary schools, institutions of higher education, and airports; expands or establishes various tax credits; and establishes requirements for early voting and absentee voting. The bill also modifies or expands a wide range of other programs and policies, including those regarding Medicare and Medicaid, medical product supplies, housing, student loans and financial aid, the federal workforce, veterans benefits environmental and consumer protection requirements, the U.S. Postal Service, aviation workers and the airline industry, and pension and retirement plans.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2020
Student Debt Emergency Relief Act This bill establishes and provides funds for federal student loan repayment assistance programs during a national emergency, including the public health emergency caused by the coronavirus (i.e., the virus that causes COVID-19). Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to make monthly payments for borrowers of Federal Direct Loans, Federal Family Education Loans, and Perkins Loans during a national emergency. ED must also pay any interest on such loans during the emergency. Additionally, ED must deem each month for which ED made a payment on behalf of the borrower as a qualifying payment for the purpose of certain loan forgiveness programs or loan rehabilitation programs; ensure that any payment on such a loan is treated as a regularly scheduled payment made by a borrower for the purpose of reporting information about the loan to a consumer reporting agency; notify borrowers, within 15 days and monthly thereafter, of the benefits provided by ED during the national emergency; and suspend all involuntary collections related to such loans, including wage garnishments, reductions of tax refunds, and reductions of certain federal benefit payments, such as Social Security. ED must (1) make monthly payments until authorized by Congress to terminate the program, (2) carry out a 90-day transition period, and (3) apply a minimum amount of payments to loans for each borrower. Payments made by ED as a result of a national emergency shall be excluded from the taxpayer's gross income. Interest shall not be capitalized during or after the national emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2020
This bill permits the Department of Labor, in response to the effects of the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency, to increase the length of time individuals may participate in, and the amount available to pay authorized administrative costs for, Community Service Employment Program projects for older adults.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2020
Tribal Medical Supplies Stockpile Access Act of 2020 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to deploy drugs, vaccines, biological products, medical devices, and other supplies from the Strategic National Stockpile directly to health programs or facilities operated by the Indian Health Service (IHS), tribes, or tribal organizations. Such supplies from the stockpile are used to respond to public health emergencies. Specifically, if HHS distributes pandemic or epidemic products (e.g., drugs or medical devices) to states or other entities, HHS must also deploy such products directly to health programs or facilities operated by IHS or other tribal entities.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2020
This resolution calls on the President to (1) use all relevant authorities of the Defense Production Act to direct the domestic production of supplies to address COVID-19 (i.e., the coronavirus disease 2019), and (2) share specified information regarding the use of such authorities with Congress. (The Defense Production 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 resolution also states that Congress stands ready to make additional appropriations available for this effort.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2020
This resolution recognizes the efforts of federal agencies, state and local governments, health workers, first responders, and others to address COVID-19 (i.e., the coronavirus disease 2019). It also (1) commends those individuals for carrying out essential tasks to support the COVID-19 response, and (2) salutes the leadership that they have shown in their communities and across the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2020
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 · 23 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 · 22 March 2020
Emergency Telework Act of 2020 This bill requires each federal agency (executive, legislative, and judicial) to allow eligible employees to telework full-time during the public health emergency declared on January 31, 2020, relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). An employee is considered eligible if the employee has not received specified disciplinary action and is otherwise determined eligible by the agency. In the event the public health emergency is renewed, the bill's requirements continue to apply if the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in coordination with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), determines the requirements would reduce the spread of COVID-19. If the requirements no longer apply, agencies may still allow high-risk employees or employees at certain work sites to telework full-time during the renewal period. Additionally, OPM must, in coordination with HHS, develop an expansive telework policy for use in future outbreaks of infectious diseases.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2020
Helping Health Care Workers Afford Child and Elder Care Act 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 · 22 March 2020
Ensuring Treatment for COVID Act This bill requires state Medicaid programs to cover treatment for COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). State Medicaid programs must also cover COVID-19 testing and treatment for uninsured individuals. (Currently, state Medicaid programs are required to cover COVID-19 testing for enrollees and have the option to cover testing for uninsured individuals.) Coverage must be provided with no cost-sharing. Additionally, state Medicaid programs may not impose cost-sharing for COVID-19 vaccines.
United States · United States Congress · 21 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.)