FEMA Assistance Relief Act of 2020
This bill modifies the federal cost share of certain emergency assistance relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).
Specifically, the bill provides for (1) a 100% federal cost share of assistance provided under the emergency declaration issued by the President on March 13, 2020, relating to COVID-19 and any subsequent major disaster declaration that supersedes it; and (2) at least a 90% federal cost share of assistance provided for any emergency or major disaster declared by the President from January 1-December 31, 2020. These provisions shall apply to funds appropriated on or after this bill's enactment.
With respect to the emergency declaration issued on March 13, 2020, the President may provide assistance for activities, costs, and purchases of states, Indian tribal governments, or local governments, including, among other things
The bill (1) directs the President to provide financial assistance to meet disaster-related funeral expenses (subject to the availability of appropriations), and (2) authorizes specified assistance in advance.
FEMA must enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to convene a committee of experts to study the use of certain assistance to respond to an emergency that does not cause physical damages.
The bill extends by one year federal disaster assistance to individuals and households.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8266 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8266
To modify the Federal cost share of certain emergency assistance
provided under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act, to modify the activities eligible for assistance under
the emergency declaration issued by the President on March 13, 2020,
relating to COVID-19, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 16, 2020
Mr. DeFazio (for himself, Mr. Thompson of California, Mrs. Lowey, Ms.
Titus, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Walden, Mr. Schrader, Ms.
Bonamici, Ms. Norton, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New
York, Mr. Payne, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Lowenthal, Mr. Stanton, Mr. Huffman,
Mr. Pappas, Mr. Garamendi, Ms. Finkenauer, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Carson of
Indiana, Mr. Sires, Ms. Mucarsel-Powell, Mr. Lynch, Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr.
Rouda, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Costa, Ms. Johnson of Texas, Mr. Cohen, Ms.
Sanchez, Mr. Brown of Maryland, Ms. Eshoo, and Ms. Lofgren) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To modify the Federal cost share of certain emergency assistance
provided under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act, to modify the activities eligible for assistance under
the emergency declaration issued by the President on March 13, 2020,
relating to COVID-19, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``FEMA Assistance Relief Act of
2020''.
SEC. 2. COST SHARE.
(a) Temporary Federal Share.--Notwithstanding sections 403(b),
403(c)(4), 404(a), 406(b), 408(d), 408(g)(2), 428(e)(2)(B), and 503(a)
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act
(42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), for any emergency or major disaster declared
by the President under such Act during the period beginning on January
1, 2020, and ending on December 31, 2020, the Federal share of
assistance provided under such sections shall be not less than 90
percent of the eligible cost of such assistance.
(b) Cost Share Under COVID Emergency Declaration.--Notwithstanding
subsection (a), assistance provided under the emergency declaration
issued by the President on March 13, 2020, pursuant to section 501(b)
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act
(42 U.S.C. 5191(b)), and under any subsequent major disaster
declaration under section 401 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) that
supersedes such emergency declaration, shall be at a 100 percent
Federal cost share.
SEC. 3. CLARIFICATION OF ASSISTANCE.
(a) In General.--For the emergency declared on March 13, 2020, by
the President under section 501 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5191), the President may
provide assistance for activities, costs, and purchases of States or
local governments or the owners or operators of eligible private
nonprofits, including--
(1) activities eligible for assistance under sections 301,
415, 416, and 426 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5141, 5182, 5183, 5189d);
(2) backfill costs for first responders and other essential
employees who are ill or quarantined;
(3) increased operating costs for essential government
services due to such emergency, including costs for
implementing continuity plans, and sheltering or housing for
first responders, emergency managers, health providers, and
other essential employees;
(4) costs of providing guidance and information to the
public and for call centers to disseminate such guidance and
information;
(5) costs associated with establishing and operating
virtual services;
(6) costs for establishing and operating remote test sites;
(7) training provided specifically in anticipation of or in
response to the event on which such emergency declaration is
predicated;
(8) personal protective equipment and other critical
supplies and services for first responders and other essential
employees, including individuals working in public schools,
courthouses, and public transit systems;
(9) medical equipment, regardless of whether such equipment
is used for emergency or inpatient care;
(10) public health costs, including provision and
distribution of medicine and medical supplies;
(11) costs associated with maintaining alternate care
facilities or related facilities currently inactive but related
to future needs tied to the ongoing pandemic event; and
(12) costs of procuring and distributing food to
individuals affected by the pandemic through networks
established by State, local, or Tribal governments, or other
organizations, including restaurants and farms, and for the
purchase of food directly from food producers and farmers.
(b) Major Disaster.--The activities described in subsection (a) may
also be eligible for assistance under any major disaster declared by
the President under section 401 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) that
supersedes the emergency declaration described in such subsection.
(c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to make ineligible any assistance that would otherwise be
eligible under section 403 or 502 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b, 5192).
(d) State Defined.--In this section, the term ``State'' has the
meaning given the term in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Discharged.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 116-580.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 116-580.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 478.
Mr. DeFazio moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5847-5849)
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DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 8266.
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H5847-5848)
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5847-5848)
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.