[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4391 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4391

To authorize a public service announcement campaign on the efficacy of 
cloth face coverings in reducing the spread of COVID-19, to authorize a 
program to provide cloth face coverings to any individual in the United 
    States who requests one free of charge, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 30, 2020

Mr. Schatz (for himself, Mr. Van Hollen, and Mrs. Feinstein) introduced 
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 
               on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize a public service announcement campaign on the efficacy of 
cloth face coverings in reducing the spread of COVID-19, to authorize a 
program to provide cloth face coverings to any individual in the United 
    States who requests one free of charge, 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 ``Masks Work Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The SARS-CoV-2 virus has killed over 150,000 
        individuals in the United States and infected more than 
        4,000,000 others.
            (2) The measures taken to contain the virus, including 
        social distancing and stay at home orders, have resulted in a 
        significant economic disruption, causing tens of millions of 
        individuals to lose jobs and income.
            (3) Scientific experts have warned of the danger of a 
        second wave of infections striking the United States in fall 
        and winter.
            (4) Scientific experts within the United States Government 
        and elsewhere have strongly advised individuals to wear cloth 
        face coverings as a means to slow the spread of COVID-19 and 
        have stated that wearing cloth face coverings may reduce the 
        spread of respiratory droplets that may carry the disease.
            (5) There is a growing body of scientific research 
        indicating that high levels of cloth face covering adoption by 
        a population can reduce transmission of the virus, and may 
        prevent asymptomatic or presymptomatic carriers from 
        unknowingly infecting others.
            (6) One scientific model estimated that if 80 percent of 
        the population adopted proper face covering use, transmission 
        would be \1/12\ what it would be in a population without 
        wearing cloth face coverings. Another newly released study 
        conducted with animals found that certain face coverings 
        reduced transmission of COVID-19 by 75 percent.
            (7) Nations in Southeast Asia with high levels of cloth 
        face covering wearing have been more effective than others in 
        reducing the spread of COVID-19, and have experienced 
        comparably fewer infections and deaths as a result.
            (8) A recent study from the University of Iowa's College of 
        Public Health suggests that the 15 States and the District of 
        Columbia, having mandated wearing face coverings in public 
        between April 8, 2020, and May 15, 2020, averted as many as 
        230,000 to 450,000 COVID-19 cases.
            (9) Many individuals have heeded the calls of public health 
        experts to wear cloth face coverings and have made major 
        sacrifices in other aspects of their life in order to control 
        the spread of the virus.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that --
            (1) following the consensus advice of public health experts 
        to wear face coverings can meaningfully reduce transmission 
        rates for COVID-19, resulting in fewer deaths, fewer 
        individuals made seriously ill, and less economic disruption;
            (2) individuals should wear appropriate face coverings in 
        accordance with public health guidance, including in situations 
        where social distancing is difficult or impossible, 
        particularly in indoors environments, both to protect 
        themselves and to protect older individuals or others with 
        health conditions that increase the risks of serious illness 
        due to COVID-19; and
            (3) leaders across the political spectrum should model 
        behaviors recommended by public health experts by wearing face 
        coverings appropriately and encouraging those around them to do 
        the same.

SEC. 4. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT CAMPAIGN.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (in this section referred to as the ``Director'') shall 
carry out a linguistically and culturally competent public service 
announcement campaign on television, radio, the internet, and digital 
platforms, and in print publications, informing the public on--
            (1) the efficacy of cloth face coverings; and
            (2) why cloth face coverings are recommended by public 
        health experts to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
    (b) Audience.--In carrying out the campaign under subsection (a), 
the Director shall ensure that public service announcements reach as 
many individuals as possible with scientifically accurate messages 
about cloth face coverings.
    (c) Accessibility.--The Director shall ensure that public service 
announcements are provided in formats suitable for people who are deaf, 
hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, blind, and people who cannot rely on 
speech to be heard and understood, including the following:
            (1) American Sign Language.
            (2) Large print.
            (3) Braille.
            (4) Fully accessible websites.
            (5) Captioned videos.
    (d) Language.--The Director shall ensure that public service 
announcements under this section are provided in languages in addition 
to English, including--
            (1) the languages recommended in the Department of Homeland 
        Security's Language Access Plan issued on October 1, 2016, and 
        any succeeding plan;
            (2) Native American languages that are official State 
        languages that have not less than 1,000 speakers, and any other 
        Native American language with not less than 10,000 speakers; 
        and
            (3) territorial languages that are official languages.
    (e) Additional Languages or Formats.--The Director shall ensure 
that public service announcements under this section are developed in 
additional languages or formats as needed to meet specific State or 
local needs as requested by a State governor or department of health.
    (f) Grants and Contracts.--In carrying out the campaign under 
subsection (a), the Director may, subject to the availability of 
appropriations, award grants to, and enter into contracts with, public 
and private entities (including nonprofit organizations).
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary 
for fiscal years 2020 and 2021, to remain available until expended.

SEC. 5. CLOTH FACE COVERINGS FOR ALL.

    (a) In General.--Subject to the availability of appropriations, the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as 
the ``Secretary'') shall carry out a program, in partnership with other 
Federal agencies, to provide cloth face coverings to any individual in 
the United States who requests such coverings free of charge by United 
States mail and through other means, such as distribution at COVID-19 
testing sites, as determined appropriate by the Secretary.
    (b) Requests.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall 
establish procedures allowing individuals to request up to three cloth 
face coverings per person in their household through the internet, by 
mail, or by phone (including text messaging).
    (c) Consultation.--The Secretary shall consult with the Director of 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Director of the 
National Institutes of Health, and the heads of other agencies as 
appropriate regarding the design and selection of cloth face coverings 
to be provided under this section.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary 
for fiscal years 2020 and 2021, to remain available until expended.

SEC. 6. NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH RESEARCH ON CLOTH FACE COVERING 
              EFFICACY.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the National Institutes of Health 
(in this section referred to as the ``Director'') shall conduct or 
support research on the efficacy of cloth face coverings, face shields, 
and other facial coverings to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
    (b) Use of Funds.--Research under this section may include--
            (1) research on the effect of wearing cloth face coverings 
        on the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19;
            (2) research on the situations for which cloth face 
        coverings are scientifically indicated;
            (3) research on the most effective materials or designs of 
        cloth face coverings; and
            (4) other topics as the Director determines appropriate.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2020 through 2022, to remain available until expended.
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