[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6808 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6808

  To provide for the establishment of a Health Force and a Resilience 
 Force to respond to public health emergencies and meet public health 
                                 needs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 12, 2020

   Mr. Crow (for himself, Mr. Panetta, Ms. Underwood, Ms. Sewell of 
Alabama, Mr. Suozzi, Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Schneider, Ms. Norton, Mr. Meeks, 
    Mr. Cox of California, Ms. DeGette, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. 
 Cisneros, Mr. Hastings, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Phillips, Ms. Houlahan, and 
 Ms. Judy Chu of California) introduced the following bill; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 
 the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Budget, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of 
                        the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To provide for the establishment of a Health Force and a Resilience 
 Force to respond to public health emergencies and meet public health 
                                 needs.

    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 ``Health Force and Resilience Force 
Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. HEALTH FORCE.

    (a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of the Health Force established 
under this section to recruit, train, and employ Americans to respond 
to the COVID-19 pandemic in their communities, provide capacity for 
ongoing and future public health care needs, and build skills for new 
workers to enter the public health and health care workforce.
    (b) Establishment.--The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
through its State, local, territorial, and tribal partners, shall 
establish a Health Force (referred to in this section as the ``Force'') 
composed of community members dedicated to responding to public health 
emergencies as declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act, including the 
COVID-19 emergency, and providing increased capacity to address ongoing 
and future public health needs.
    (c) Organization and Administration.--The Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention shall--
            (1) award grants, contracts, or enter into cooperative 
        agreements for the recruitment, hiring, managing, 
        administration, and organization of the Force to States, 
        localities, territories, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, 
        urban Indian health organizations, or health service providers 
        to Tribes; and
            (2) provide assistance for expenses incurred by States, 
        localities, territories, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, 
        urban Indian health organizations, or health service providers 
        to Tribes prior to the awarding of a grant, contract, or 
        cooperative agreement under subparagraph (A) to facilitate the 
        implementation of the Force, including assistance for planning 
        and recruitment activities, as provided for in section 424 of 
        the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 5189b).
    (d) Service.--
            (1) Minimum requirements.--
                    (A) In general.--The Force shall be composed of 
                eligible members selected pursuant to guidelines 
                developed by the Director in consultation with States, 
                localities, territories, Indian Tribes, Tribal 
                organizations, urban Indian health organizations, or 
                health service providers to Tribes funded entities. At 
                a minimum such guidelines shall ensure that a member of 
                the Force--
                            (i) is at least 18 years of age; and
                            (ii) has a high school diploma or 
                        equivalent or has successfully completed an 
                        employment literacy test.
                    (B) Other eligible individuals.--
                            (i) Citizenship or immigration status.--An 
                        individual who is authorized to work in the 
                        United States, including an individual with 
                        Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) 
                        or Temporary Protected Status (TPS) under 
                        section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality 
                        Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a), shall not be disqualified 
                        for appointment under this section as a member 
                        of the Force because of citizenship or 
                        immigration status.
                            (ii) Bankruptcy.--An individual shall not 
                        be disqualified for appointment under this 
                        section as a member of the Force because of the 
                        bankruptcy or poor credit rating of such 
                        individual determined to be the result of the 
                        coronavirus public health emergency.
            (2) Recruitment.--
                    (A) In general.--The guidelines developed under 
                paragraph (1) shall provide for Force recruitment 
                information to be distributed at the national level 
                through all available channels and partnerships as 
                practicable. Such guidelines shall also, as 
                practicable, work with the Corporation for National and 
                Community Service to make graduating high school 
                seniors aware of Force employment opportunities while 
                in their senior year, and every 2 years thereafter, 
                unless they opt out of receiving notifications or have 
                joined the Force. As practicable, Federal and State 
                Departments of Labor shall share information about 
                Force opportunities with those individuals applying for 
                or receiving unemployment benefits.
                    (B) Recruitment by state, locality, territory, 
                indian tribes, tribal organizations, urban indian 
                health organizations, or health service providers to 
                tribes funded entities.--With respect to the employment 
                of Force members in States, localities, territories, 
                Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, urban Indian 
                health organizations, or health service providers to 
                Tribes funded entities, such areas and entities shall 
                support extensive recruitment efforts for Force 
                personnel, including efforts to recruit Force members 
                among focal communities as described in subsection (g), 
                as well as low-income, minority, and historically 
                marginalized populations.
            (3) Preference.--Preference in the hiring of Force members 
        shall be given to individuals who are veterans, unemployed or 
        underemployed, recently furloughed community-based nonprofit, 
        public health or health care professionals, or from focal 
        communities as described in subsection (g).
            (4) Training.--
                    (A) Contact tracing training.--The Director shall 
                continue to provide Contact Tracing Guidance and 
                Resources, including contact tracing training plan(s) 
                to address training requirements for Force members to 
                successfully conduct contact tracing activities under 
                subsection (e)(1). States, localities, territories, 
                Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, urban Indian 
                health organizations, or health service providers to 
                Tribes funded entities shall determine which Force 
                recruits will be provided with contact tracing training 
                to meet State, locality, territory, and Tribal public 
                health needs.
                    (B) Additional training.--Not later than 90 days 
                after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director 
                shall identify and, as necessary, develop additional 
                evidence-informed training resource packages to provide 
                Force members the knowledge and skills necessary to 
                conduct the full complement of activities described in 
                subsections (e) and (f). States, localities, 
                territories, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, urban 
                Indian health organizations, or health service 
                providers to Tribes shall determine which Force members 
                will be provided with additional training to meet 
                State, locality, territory, and Tribal public health 
                needs.
                    (C) Specialized training.--In organizing the Force 
                under this section, the Director may elect to establish 
                divisions of Force members who receive specialized 
                comprehensive training, including divisions of Force 
                members who have met State licensure requirements, have 
                prior relevant experience, or have supervisory skills 
                or demonstrated aptitude.
                    (D) Training requirements.--The training programs 
                under this subparagraph shall--
                            (i) be adaptable by State, locality, 
                        territorial, Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, 
                        urban Indian health organization, or health 
                        service providers to Tribes funded entities to 
                        meet local needs;
                            (ii) be implemented as quickly as possible 
                        by either or both of the Centers for Disease 
                        Control and Prevention and funded entities, 
                        based on local needs and abilities;
                            (iii) be distance-based eLearning that can 
                        be accessed electronically, including by using 
                        a smartphone, with the goal of limiting 
                        opportunities for disease transmission while 
                        maximizing knowledge and skills acquisition and 
                        retention among Force trainees;
                            (iv) include refresher training at regular 
                        and frequent intervals as determined 
                        appropriate by the Director and/or funded 
                        entities;
                            (v) incorporate training components on 
                        personal safety, including staying safe around 
                        animals in the context of home visits, use of 
                        personal protective equipment, and health 
                        privacy and ethics; and
                            (vi) leverage existing training and 
                        certification programs approved by States, 
                        territories, tribal nations, and community 
                        health worker certifying bodies.
                    (E) Miscellaneous.--Where determined necessary, the 
                Director may--
                            (i) recommend training under this 
                        subparagraph that includes face-to-face 
                        interaction;
                            (ii) collaborate with, including through 
                        grants or cooperative agreements, public 
                        universities, including nursing, medical, and 
                        veterinary schools, community colleges, or 
                        other career and technical education 
                        institutes, community health centers, community 
                        health worker and community health 
                        representative training and certification 
                        programs, and other community-based 
                        organizations, Federally recognized Minority 
                        Serving Institutions, as well as public health 
                        associations and State and local health 
                        departments, to develop and implement training 
                        under this subparagraph, particularly for 
                        skills that typically have licensure 
                        requirements; and
                            (iii) develop training and communications 
                        materials in multiple languages.
                    (F) Timing.--The training provided under 
                subparagraph (A) shall be designed to be completed by 
                Force members within 14 days of the start of such 
                training. The training programs under subparagraph (B) 
                shall be made available where necessary to ensure that 
                Force members are fully trained as soon as possible 
                after commencing such training.
                    (G) Payment during training.--Individuals shall be 
                paid for each hour spent in training including 
                refresher training.
            (5) Salary and benefits.--
                    (A) In general.--Members of the Force shall be paid 
                directly by State, locality, territorial, Indian Tribe, 
                Tribal organization, urban Indian health organization, 
                or health service providers to Tribes funded entities 
                and sub-partners using funds provided by the Centers 
                for Disease Control and Prevention under grants, 
                contracts, or cooperative agreements under this 
                section. All Force positions shall be salaried with 
                health and retirement benefits, including paid family 
                leave. Payment of salaries and benefits shall be in 
                accordance with prevailing wages.
                    (B) Overtime pay.--The entire amount of overtime 
                costs, including payments related to backfilling 
                personnel, that are the direct result of time spent on 
                the design, development and conduct of Force activities 
                are allowable expenses under this section.
            (6) Placement.--To the extent feasible, as determined by 
        State, locality, territorial, Indian Tribe, Tribal 
        organization, urban Indian health organization, or health 
        service providers to Tribes funded entities, members of the 
        Force shall be recruited from and serve in their home 
        communities. Force members may be physically co-located with 
        local public health, health care, and community-based 
        organizations, including community health centers, as 
        determined appropriate by funded entities.
            (7) Supervisory structures.--Members of the Force shall 
        receive ongoing supportive supervision from staff members of 
        State, locality, territorial, Indian Tribe, Tribal 
        organization, urban Indian health organization, or health 
        service providers to Tribes funded entities or their sub-
        partners, as described in paragraph (9), in accordance with the 
        evidence-informed practices. Entities funded under this section 
        may choose the most appropriate supervisory structure to use 
        based on local needs, and may promote Force members into 
        supervisory roles. Such supervision may be also be provided by 
        Disease Intervention Specialists. Funded entities may use funds 
        award under grants, contacts, or cooperative agreements under 
        this section to pay for such supervisory staff and structures.
            (8) Supplies and equipment.--Members of the Force and their 
        supervisors shall receive all necessary supplies and equipment, 
        including personal protective equipment, through State, 
        locality, territorial, Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, urban 
        Indian health organization, or health service providers to 
        Tribes funded entities, which may use funds awarded under 
        grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements under this section 
        to pay for such supplies and equipment.
            (9) Subawards.--As authorized by the Centers for Disease 
        Control and Prevention, State, locality, territorial, Indian 
        Tribe, Tribal organization, urban Indian health organization, 
        or health service providers to Tribes funded entities may make 
        subawards to local partners, including community health centers 
        and other community-based and nonprofit organizations, in order 
        to facilitate Force member recruitment, management, 
        supervision, management, and retention as well as to facilitate 
        Force integration into existing public health, health care, and 
        community-based services.
            (10) Service in public health emergency.--A State, 
        locality, territory, Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, urban 
        Indian health organization, or health service providers to 
        Tribes receiving funding under a grant, contract, or 
        cooperative agreement this section shall assign one or more 
        Force members to respond to a public health emergency in the 
        area served by such entity. Such Force members shall be under 
        the supervision and management of the State, locality, 
        territory, Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, urban Indian 
        health organization, or health service providers to Tribes 
        involved.
            (11) Service post emergency.--A State, locality, territory, 
        Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, urban Indian health 
        organization, or health service providers to Tribes may retain 
        Force members to continue to work in the area served by the 
        entity after a public health emergency has ended in order to--
                    (A) prevent and respond to future public health 
                emergencies; and
                    (B) respond to ongoing and future public health and 
                health care needs.
            (12) Limitation.--A Force member may not be assigned for 
        international deployment on behalf of the Health Force.
            (13) Funding.--All costs associated with the service and 
        functions of Force members under this section, including salary 
        and employment benefits as well as associated direct and 
        indirect costs, shall be paid by the Federal Government through 
        grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to States, 
        localities, territories, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, 
        urban Indian health organizations, or health service providers 
        to Tribes.
    (e) Activities To Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic.--For the 
duration of the public health emergency declared by the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services under section 319 of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) on January 31, 2020, with respect to 
COVID-19, the Force shall provide for the training and employment of 
Force personnel to execute a testing, contact tracing, containment and 
mitigation strategy to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, these activities 
should align with State licensure requirements and evidence-informed 
practices, including national standards developed and being developed 
by the National Committee on Quality Assurance:
            (1) Providing contact tracing, including the identification 
        of cases of COVID-19 and their contacts in a culturally 
        competent, multilingual manner.
            (2) When available, supporting the administration of 
        diagnostic, serologic, or other COVID-19 tests.
            (3) Providing support that addresses social, economic, 
        behavioral and preventive health needs for individuals affected 
        by COVID-19, including those who are asked to voluntarily 
        isolate or quarantine in their homes.
    (f) Activities Post-Emergency.--After the public health emergency 
declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under section 
319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) on January 31, 
2020, with respect to COVID-19 concludes, the Force shall provide for 
the training and employment of Force personnel to prevent and respond 
to future public health emergencies and respond to ongoing and future 
public health and health care needs. Under this subsection, Force 
members shall carry out or assist with activities described in 
subsection (e) as well as any of the following activities, where 
aligned with State licensure requirements:
            (1) Providing support services, including but not limited 
        to--
                    (A) sharing public health messages with community 
                members;
                    (B) helping community members address social, 
                economic, behavioral health, and preventive health 
                needs using evidence-informed models and in accordance 
                with standards, including national community health 
                worker standards being developed by the National Center 
                for Quality Assurance; and
                    (C) providing community-based information to local 
                and tribal health departments to inform and improve 
                health programming for hard-to-reach communities.
            (2) Other activities determined appropriate by the 
        Director.
            (3) Other activities, including response to localized 
        public health emergencies, as determined appropriate by State, 
        locality, territory, Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, urban 
        Indian health organization, or health service providers to 
        Tribes funding recipients and in accordance with grant and 
        cooperative agreement scope and stipulations.
    (g) Focal Communities.--State, locality, territorial, Indian Tribe, 
Tribal organization, urban Indian health organization, or health 
service providers to Tribes funded entities shall dedicate a 
substantial number of Force members to addressing the needs of focal 
communities. To be designated as a focal community, a community shall 
at a minimum--
            (1) be in the bottom 50 percent of the United States in 
        terms of infant mortality, poverty, or other measure, as 
        recommended by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, 
        and Medicine and approved by the Director;
            (2) be identified as a ``most vulnerable'' community 
        according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 
        Social Vulnerability Index; or
            (3) be designated as a Health Professional Shortage Area, 
        Medically Underserved Area, or Medically Underserved 
        Population.
    (h) Coordination and Collaboration.--
            (1) Facilitation.--
                    (A) In general.--The Director shall facilitate 
                coordination and collaboration between the Force and 
                other national public health service programs within 
                and external to the Department of Health and Human 
                Services, including the Public Health Service and 
                Medical Reserve Corps.
                    (B) Advisory group.--Not later than 6 months after 
                the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall 
                convene a stakeholder advisory group comprised of the 
                leadership: of other national health service programs, 
                including but not limited to the Public Health Service 
                Corps, Medical Response Corps, and FEMA CORE; other 
                relevant Federal offices and agencies, including but 
                not limited to the Department of Labor, Health 
                Resources and Services Administration, Health and Human 
                Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for 
                Preparedness and Response, and Occupational Health and 
                Safety Administration; and leaders representing State, 
                locality, territorial, Indian Tribe, Tribal 
                organization, urban Indian health organization, or 
                health service providers to Tribes funded entities. 
                Such advisory group shall meet on a yearly basis to 
                provide guidance for the programmatic success and 
                longevity of the Force.
            (2) States, localities, territories, indian tribes, tribal 
        organizations, urban indian health organizations, or health 
        service providers to tribes collaboration.--
                    (A) In general.--States, localities, territories, 
                Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, urban Indian 
                health organizations, or health service providers to 
                tribes shall ensure coordination and, as appropriate, 
                collaboration between the Force and local public 
                health, and health care, and community-based programs, 
                to ensure complementarity and further strengthen the 
                local public health response.
                    (B) Advisory group.--Not later than 3 months after 
                the date of enactment of this Act, an entity that 
                receives a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement 
                under this section shall convene a stakeholder advisory 
                group comprised of community leaders and other key 
                stakeholders to meet on a regular, recurring basis to 
                provide guidance for the programmatic success and 
                longevity of the Force.
                    (C) State compacts.--In accordance with section 115 
                of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 
                (42 U.S.C. 5315), two or more States to enter into 
                agreements or compacts, for cooperative effort and 
                mutual assistance in support of community development 
                planning and programs carried out under this section as 
                such programs pertain to interstate areas and to 
                localities within such States, and to establish such 
                agencies, joint or otherwise, as such States determine 
                appropriate for making such agreements and compacts 
                effective.
    (i) Monitoring.--The Director shall develop a performance 
monitoring template for State, locality, territorial, Indian Tribe, 
Tribal organization, urban Indian health organization, or health 
service providers to Tribes funded entities adaptation and use under 
this section. Such template shall at a minimum require the reporting of 
the number of Force members hired, the role hired into, and the 
demographic characteristics of Force members. Such data shall be shared 
by entities receiving grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements 
under this section to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on 
a regular, recurring basis. Such data shall be made publicly available.
    (j) Learning and Adaptation.--The Director shall develop a learning 
and evaluation component of the Force to identify successful components 
of local activities conducted under this section that may be 
replicated, to identify opportunities for continuing education and 
career advancement for Force members, and to evaluate the degree to 
which the Force created a pathway to longer-term public health and 
health care careers among Force members, and to identify how the Force 
impacted the health knowledge, behaviors, and outcomes of the community 
members served. Results of this learning shall be made publicly 
available.
    (k) Reporting.--Not later than 180 days after the end of each 
fiscal year, the Director shall submit to the Congress a report which 
shall contain--
            (1) a description of the progress made in accomplishing the 
        objectives of Force under this section;
            (2) a summary of the use of funds under this section during 
        the preceding fiscal year;
            (3) a list of each recipient of a grant, contract, or 
        cooperative agreement under this section and the amount of such 
        grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, as well as a brief 
        summary of the projects funded by each such recipient, the 
        extent of financial participation by other public or private 
        entities, and the impact on employment and economic activity of 
        such projects during the previous fiscal year; and
            (4) a description of the activities carried out under this 
        section.
    (l) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated, 
        and there is appropriated, to carry out this section, 
        $55,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 and 2021, such 
        amounts to remain available until expended.
            (2) Emergency.--The amounts appropriated under paragraph 
        (1) are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to 
        section 4(g) of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 
        U.S.C. 933(g)).
            (3) Designation in senate.--In the Senate, this section is 
        designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
        4112(a) of H. Con. Res. 71 (115th Congress), the concurrent 
        resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018.

SEC. 3. RESILIENCE FORCE.

    (a) In General.--For the period of fiscal years 2020 through 2022, 
the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall 
appoint, administer, and expedite the training of a 62,000 Cadre of On-
Call Response/Recovery Employees, under the Response and Recover 
Directorate (referred to in this section as a ``CORE employee'') under 
the Office of Response and Recovery, above the level of such employees 
in fiscal year 2019, to address the coronavirus public health emergency 
and other disasters and public emergencies.
    (b) Detail of CORE Employees.--A CORE employee may be detailed, 
through mutual agreement, to any Federal agency that is a participating 
agency in the White House Coronavirus Task Force, or to a State, local, 
or Tribal government to fulfill an assignment for the Task Force, 
including--
            (1) providing logistical support for the supply chain of 
        medical equipment and other goods involved in COVID-19 response 
        efforts;
            (2) supporting COVID-19 testing and surveillance 
        activities;
            (3) providing nutritional assistance to vulnerable 
        populations; and
            (4) carrying out other disaster preparedness and response 
        functions for other emergencies and natural disasters.
    (c) Requirement.--As soon as practicable, the Administrator of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency shall make public job announcements 
to fill the CORE employee positions authorized under subsection (a), 
which shall prioritize hiring from among the following groups of 
individuals:
            (1) Unemployed veterans of the Armed Forces.
            (2) Individuals who have become unemployed or underemployed 
        as a result of the coronavirus public health emergency.
            (3) AmeriCorps members, Peace Corps Volunteers, or United 
        States Fulbright Scholars who have had their service terms 
        ended as a result of the coronavirus public health emergency.
            (4) Recent graduates of public health, medical, nursing, 
        social work or related health-services programs.
            (5) Members of communities who have experienced a 
        disproportionately high number of COVID-19 cases.
    (d) Hiring.--The Federal Emergency Management Agency shall hire 
employees under this section, pursuant to section 306 of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5149), 
and make use of existing statutory authorities that permit regional 
offices and site managers to advertise for and hire such employees.
    (e) Training.--The Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency may make appropriate adjustments to the standard 
training course curriculum for employees under this section to include 
on-site trainings at Federal Emergency Management Agency regional 
offices, virtual trainings, or trainings conducted by other Federal, 
State, local or Tribal agencies, including training described in 
section 2(d)(4).
    (f) Clarification.--For the purposes of employing individuals under 
this section--
            (1) no individual who is authorized to work in the United 
        States, including individuals with Deferred Action for 
        Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or Temporary Protected Status (TPS) 
        under section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
        U.S.C. 1254a), shall be disqualified for appointment under this 
        section because of citizenship or immigration status; and
            (2) no individual shall be disqualified for appointment 
        under this section because of bankruptcy or a poor credit 
        rating determined to be the result of the Coronavirus public 
        health emergency.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency, $6,500,000,000, for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2022, not 
less than $1,500,000,000 of which shall be made available each such 
fiscal year for the administrative costs associated with carrying out 
this section.
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