[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4377 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4377

     To facilitate the safe re-opening of schools by conducting or 
     supporting research on children's infection with, and role in 
           transmitting, SARS-CoV-2, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 30, 2020

Mr. Braun (for himself, Mr. Casey, Mr. Rubio, and Mr. Brown) introduced 
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 
               on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To facilitate the safe re-opening of schools by conducting or 
     supporting research on children's infection with, and role in 
           transmitting, SARS-CoV-2, 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 ``Protect our Children from COVID-19 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The pandemic caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2 has 
        required a whole-of-society response through mitigation efforts 
        such as stay-at-home orders and the physical closing of 
        schools.
            (2) Physical school closures can have substantial negative 
        effects on children's education, mental health, and social and 
        emotional development.
            (3) In general, physical school closures compound 
        inequities for many students, including students in rural and 
        low-income communities, where students often lack access to 
        computers and high-speed internet, as well as exacerbate 
        achievement gaps for students from low-income families, 
        students with disabilities, English learners, students of 
        color, and students experiencing homelessness.
            (4) To date, scientific evidence suggests children have a 
        lower probability of developing a serious illness from COVID-
        19, the illness caused by SARS-CoV-2, than adults. It remains 
        unclear, however, what role children play in transmitting SARS-
        CoV-2 to other children or adults.
            (5) Pursuing research that analyzes and increases 
        understanding of the transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 in children 
        will help families, educators, and elected leaders make 
        evidence-based decisions on safely physically re-opening 
        schools and our economy.

SEC. 3. STUDY ON CHILDREN'S CONTRACTING AND TRANSMITTING OF SARS-COV-2.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than the date that is 6 months 
        after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
        Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the 
        ``Secretary''), acting through the Director of the National 
        Institutes of Health and in coordination with the Director of 
        the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and experts from 
        outside of the Department of Health and Human Services, such as 
        the Department of Education, health, occupational safety, and 
        education professional associations, and academia, as 
        appropriate, shall conduct or support research on children's 
        role in transmitting SARS-CoV-2.
            (2) Issues to be studied.--The research under paragraph 
        (1)--
                    (A) shall include research on--
                            (i) the transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 from 
                        child to child, child to adult, and adult to 
                        child;
                            (ii) the vulnerability of children to 
                        severe illness with COVID-19, including 
                        children with underlying health conditions, 
                        detailing any differences by age or grade 
                        level; and
                            (iii) the vulnerability of children to 
                        COVID-19 while being transported to and from 
                        school, while playing sports (including contact 
                        sports), and while engaging in other extramural 
                        activities, detailing any differences by age or 
                        grade level; and
                    (B) may include research on--
                            (i) the vulnerability of adults to COVID-
                        19, including adults with underlying health 
                        conditions, extended family members living with 
                        children, (such as grandparents), and 
                        vulnerabilities associated with certain 
                        activities, including--
                                    (I) adults sending children from 
                                the household back to school; and
                                    (II) adults interacting with 
                                children who may be asymptomatic but 
                                infected with COVID-19, including 
                                working in schools; and
                            (ii) the types of personal protective 
                        equipment that should be provided to students, 
                        educators, classified school employees, and 
                        other school staff employed in school 
                        buildings.
            (3) Considerations.--In conducting or supporting the 
        research under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall--
                    (A) take into consideration the best available 
                science, including as provided by the National Academy 
                of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, and 
                other evidence-based or peer-reviewed sources; and
                    (B) ensure that such research includes 
                consideration of children and adults who are members of 
                racial and ethnic minority groups, as well as children 
                and adults who are immunocompromised or who may be at a 
                greater risk from COVID-19, children and adults with 
                disabilities, children and families experiencing 
                homelessness, and children who are eligible for a free 
                or reduced price lunch under the Richard B. Russell 
                National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.).
    (b) Reporting.--Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, and quarterly thereafter through the end 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 Secretary shall submit 
to Congress a report on children's role in transmitting SARS-CoV-2. 
Each report shall include an overview of the research conducted or 
supported under subsection (a) and any relevant findings, and the best 
practices disseminated to stakeholders under subsection (c).
    (c) Dissemination of Best Practices.--Not later than 6 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, and quarterly thereafter through the 
end of the public health emergency described in subsection (b), the 
Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, shall disseminate to stakeholders best 
practices for protecting children and adults in educational settings, 
including the types of personal protective equipment that should be 
provided to students, educators, classified school employees, and other 
school staff employed in school buildings. The first set of best 
practices disseminated pursuant to the preceding sentence shall include 
any best practices for protecting children and adults in educational 
settings identified through the research conducted or supported under 
subsection (a), and subsequent quarterly updates shall continue to 
reflect the best available science.
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