[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 53 (Wednesday, March 18, 2020)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 15337-15338]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-05794]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 53 / Wednesday, March 18, 2020 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 15337]]


                Proclamation 9994 of March 13, 2020

                
Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the 
                Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                In December 2019, a novel (new) coronavirus known as 
                SARS-CoV-2 (``the virus'') was first detected in Wuhan, 
                Hubei Province, People's Republic of China, causing 
                outbreaks of the coronavirus disease COVID-19 that has 
                now spread globally. The Secretary of Health and Human 
                Services (HHS) declared a public health emergency on 
                January 31, 2020, under section 319 of the Public 
                Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d), in response to 
                COVID-19. I have taken sweeping action to control the 
                spread of the virus in the United States, including by 
                suspending entry of foreign nationals seeking entry who 
                had been physically present within the prior 14 days in 
                certain jurisdictions where COVID-19 outbreaks have 
                occurred, including the People's Republic of China, the 
                Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Schengen Area of 
                Europe. The Federal Government, along with State and 
                local governments, has taken preventive and proactive 
                measures to slow the spread of the virus and treat 
                those affected, including by instituting Federal 
                quarantines for individuals evacuated from foreign 
                nations, issuing a declaration pursuant to section 
                319F-3 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
                247d-6d), and releasing policies to accelerate the 
                acquisition of personal protective equipment and 
                streamline bringing new diagnostic capabilities to 
                laboratories. On March 11, 2020, the World Health 
                Organization announced that the COVID-19 outbreak can 
                be characterized as a pandemic, as the rates of 
                infection continue to rise in many locations around the 
                world and across the United States.

                The spread of COVID-19 within our Nation's communities 
                threatens to strain our Nation's healthcare systems. As 
                of March 12, 2020, 1,645 people from 47 States have 
                been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. It 
                is incumbent on hospitals and medical facilities 
                throughout the country to assess their preparedness 
                posture and be prepared to surge capacity and 
                capability. Additional measures, however, are needed to 
                successfully contain and combat the virus in the United 
                States.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the 
                United States, by the authority vested in me by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, including sections 201 and 301 of the National 
                Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) and consistent 
                with section 1135 of the Social Security Act (SSA), as 
                amended (42 U.S.C. 1320b-5), do hereby find and 
                proclaim that the COVID-19 outbreak in the United 
                States constitutes a national emergency, beginning 
                March 1, 2020. Pursuant to this declaration, I direct 
                as follows:

                Section 1. Emergency Authority. The Secretary of HHS 
                may exercise the authority under section 1135 of the 
                SSA to temporarily waive or modify certain requirements 
                of the Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health 
                Insurance programs and of the Health Insurance 
                Portability and Accountability Act Privacy Rule 
                throughout the duration of the public health emergency 
                declared in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

[[Page 15338]]

                Sec. 2. Certification and Notice. In exercising this 
                authority, the Secretary of HHS shall provide 
                certification and advance written notice to the 
                Congress as required by section 1135(d) of the SSA (42 
                U.S.C. 1320b-5(d)).

                Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this 
                proclamation shall be construed to impair or otherwise 
                affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or 
the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

                    (b) This proclamation shall be implemented 
                consistent with applicable law and subject to the 
                availability of appropriations.
                    (c) This proclamation is not intended to, and does 
                not, create any right or benefit, substantive or 
                procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any 
                party against the United States, its departments, 
                agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or 
                agents, or any other person.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                thirteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand twenty, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and forty-fourth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2020-05794
Filed 3-17-20; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F0-P