[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4627 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4627

   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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 17, 2020

Mr. Merkley (for himself and Mr. Wyden) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 
                        and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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. 5170b(b), 5170(c)(4), 5170c(a), 5172(b), 5174(d), 
5174(g)(2), 5189f(e)(2)(B), 5193(a)), 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 the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance 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 the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance 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>