Bill Summary
This bill is a proposed piece of legislation that would authorize additional funding for the Department of Agriculture in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill specifies that $50 billion will be allocated for the Office of the Secretary to provide support for agricultural producers impacted by the pandemic. The Secretary is authorized to use this funding to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the pandemic, and is not limited in the amount of funding that can be provided to producers as long as it does not exceed the total damages caused by the pandemic. The funding is designated as an emergency requirement and can only be used if the President designates it as such and notifies Congress.
Possible Impacts
1. The appropriation of $50,000,000,000 to the "Department of Agriculture--Office of the Secretary" could provide financial support for agricultural producers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, potentially helping them stay afloat during difficult times.
2. The limitation on payments made to producers using funding provided under this section could prevent excessive payments and ensure that funds are distributed fairly and equitably.
3. The emergency designation of the allocated funds would require the President to designate the amount as an emergency requirement and transmit the designation to Congress, potentially allowing for quicker access to the funds for pandemic response.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6611 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6611
Making supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2020 for the
Department of Agriculture to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 23, 2020
Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia (for himself, Mr. Allen, Mr. Baird, Mr.
Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Crawford, Mr. Hagedorn, Mr. Kelly of
Mississippi, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Rouzer, Mr. Thompson of
Pennsylvania, Mrs. Hartzler, Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, Mr. Collins
of Georgia, Mr. Cuellar, Mrs. Axne, Mr. Bost, Mr. Abraham, Mr. Carter
of Georgia, Mr. David Scott of Georgia, Mr. Schrader, Mr. Rice of South
Carolina, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Woodall, Mr. Yoho, Ms. Spanberger, Mr. Wilson
of South Carolina, Mr. O'Halleran, Mr. Rodney Davis of Illinois, Mr.
Soto, Mr. Dunn, and Ms. Schrier) introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the
Committee on 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
Making supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2020 for the
Department of Agriculture to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, 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. APPROPRIATION FOR USDA TO RESPOND TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
(a) In General.--There is appropriated, out of any money in the
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for fiscal year 2020 for an
additional amount for the ``Department of Agriculture--Office of the
Secretary'', $50,000,000,000, to remain available until expended, to
prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by providing
support for agricultural producers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,
provided that the Secretary shall not apply any limitation on payments
made to producers using funding provided under this section, except to
ensure that total payments made to producers do not exceed total
damages related to the COVID-19 pandemic, as determined by the
Secretary.
(b) Emergency Designation.--The amount appropriated by subsection
(a) is designated by the Congress as being for an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 and shall only be available if
the President subsequently so designates such amount and transmits such
designation to the Congress.
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