Protecting Fairs During Coronavirus Act

Protecting Fairs During Coronavirus Act

This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a program to address the effects of the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic on state and local fairs.

In carrying out the program, USDA may provide competitive grants to states (i.e., the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories of the United States).

A state may only use grant funds provided under the program to assist a state agricultural agency to address cost coverage issues related to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on state and local fairs, including by identifying opportunities to provide virtual education and entertainment related to agriculture.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4611 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4611

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a grant program to 
address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on State and local fairs, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 17, 2020

   Mr. Jones introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a grant program to 
address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on State and local fairs, 
                        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 ``Protecting Fairs During Coronavirus 
Act''.

SEC. 2. STATE AND LOCAL FAIR GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered entity.--The term ``covered entity'' means a 
        State agricultural agency with responsibility for operating a 
        State or local fair.
            (2) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the program 
        established under subsection (b).
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture.
            (4) State.--The term ``State'' means--
                    (A) a State;
                    (B) the District of Columbia; and
                    (C) a territory of the United States.
    (b) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a program to 
address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on State and local fairs.
    (c) Grant Authority and Eligible Entities.--In carrying out the 
Program, the Secretary may make, on a competitive basis, grants to 
States in accordance with this section.
    (d) Applications.--To be eligible for a grant under the Program, a 
State shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form, at 
such time, and containing such information as the Secretary determines 
appropriate.
    (e) Grant Uses.--A State may only use grant funds provided under 
the Program to assist a covered entity in addressing cost coverage 
issues relating to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on State and 
local fairs, including by identifying opportunities to provide virtual 
education and entertainment relating to agriculture.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the Program $5,000,000,000 
for each of--
            (1) fiscal year 2021; and
            (2) each fiscal year thereafter any portion of which occurs 
        during the period of the national emergency declared by the 
        President under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et 
        seq.) with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
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