Bill Summary
The Defense Communities Coronavirus Relief Act of 2020 is a bill that aims to make changes and provide assistance in various areas related to defense communities during the coronavirus pandemic.
Section 1: This section provides a short title for the Act, which is "Defense Communities Coronavirus Relief Act of 2020".
Section 2: This section modifies the cost-sharing requirement for the Defense Community Infrastructure Program. It requires the Secretary of Defense to establish criteria for selecting community infrastructure projects and includes a cost-sharing requirement for states, local governments, and non-profit or member-owned utility services. The percentage of cost-sharing varies depending on the fiscal year and whether the project is in a rural or non-rural area.
Section 3: This section temporarily expands eligibility for Department of Defense (DOD) assistance to schools that have a significant number of military-dependent children. It also authorizes additional funding for DOD assistance to these schools.
Section 4: This section provides support for small businesses that provide mission essential products and services to military installations and have been negatively impacted by COVID-19 and the resulting economic downturn. It authorizes direct loans to these businesses and designates their products and services as essential for national defense purposes. It also provides funding for this support and requires a report to be issued to Congress on the use of these authorities.
Overall, this legislation aims to provide assistance to defense communities, including infrastructure projects, schools with military-dependent children, and small businesses, during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Possible Impacts
1. This legislation could affect people who live in defense communities by temporarily expanding eligibility for Department of Defense impact aid, potentially providing financial assistance to schools with a significant number of military dependent children.
2. Small businesses could be affected by this legislation if they provide mission essential products and services to military installations, as they could receive direct loans from the government.
3. People in rural areas may be affected by this legislation if they are part of a community infrastructure project that will receive funds during the fiscal year 2022 or a subsequent application cycle, as they may be required to contribute 20% of the funding for the project.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7290 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7290
To modify the cost-sharing requirement of the Defense Community
Infrastructure Program and to temporarily expand eligibility for
Department of Defense impact aid and authorize additional amounts to
provide such aid, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 22, 2020
Mr. Heck (for himself, Mr. Crow, Mr. Kim, and Mr. Kilmer) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed
Services, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and
Education and Labor, 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
To modify the cost-sharing requirement of the Defense Community
Infrastructure Program and to temporarily expand eligibility for
Department of Defense impact aid and authorize additional amounts to
provide such aid, 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 ``Defense Communities Coronavirus
Relief Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF COST-SHARING REQUIREMENT OF THE DEFENSE
COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM.
Paragraph (2) of section 2391(d) of title 10, United States Code,
is amended to read as follows:
``(2)(A) The Secretary of Defense shall establish criteria for the
selection of community infrastructure projects to receive assistance
under paragraph (1). The criteria shall include a cost-sharing
requirement under which the State government, local government, or not-
for-profit, member-owned utility service proposing the community
infrastructure project shall be required to cover a percentage of the
cost of the community infrastructure project, as specified for the
fiscal year involved in subparagraph (B) or (C).
``(B) In the case of a community infrastructure project that
receives funds during the fiscal year 2021 application cycle, the State
government, local government, or not-for-profit, member-owned utility
service shall agree to contribute five percent of the funding for the
community infrastructure project, unless a national security waiver is
approved by the Secretary of Defense.
``(C) In the case of a community infrastructure project that
receives funds during the fiscal year 2022 or a subsequent application
cycle:
``(i) If the community infrastructure project will be
carried out in a non-rural area, the State government, local
government, or not-for-profit, member-owned utility service
shall agree to contribute 30 percent of the funding for the
community infrastructure project, unless a national security
waiver is approved by the Secretary of Defense.
``(ii) If the community infrastructure project will be
carried out in a rural area, the State government, local
government, or not-for-profit, member-owned utility service
shall agree to contribute 20 percent of the funding for the
community infrastructure project, unless a national security
waiver is approved by the Secretary of Defense.''.
SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR ASSISTANCE TO SCHOOLS WITH
SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF MILITARY DEPENDENT CHILDREN.
(a) Temporary Expansion of Eligibility for DOD Assistance.--
Notwithstanding paragraph (2) of section 572(a) of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (Public Law 109-163; 20 U.S.C.
7703b), a qualified local educational agency shall be eligible to
receive assistance under such section for fiscal years 2021 and 2022 if
at least five percent (as rounded to the nearest whole percent) of the
students in average daily attendance in the schools of such agency
during the preceding school year were military dependent students
counted under section 7003(a)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7703(a)(1)).
(b) Increase in Funding for DOD Assistance.--There are authorized
to be appropriated $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 for the purpose of
providing assistance to local educational agencies under subsection (a)
of section 572 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2006 (Public Law 109-163; 20 U.S.C. 7703b).
(c) Qualified Local Educational Agency Defined.--In this section,
the term ``qualified local educational agency'' means a local
educational agency (as defined in section 7013(9) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7713(9))) that is located in
an area covered by a declaration of a major disaster or emergency (as
those terms are defined in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122)) at any
time during the period beginning on March 1, 2020, and ending on July
31, 2020.
SEC. 4. SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSES SERVING MILITARY INSTALLATIONS.
(a) In General.--The President shall exercise the authorities
provided under title III of the Defense Production Act of 1950 to
provide direct loans to small businesses identified under subsection
(b).
(b) Identification of Businesses.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish a
process under which commanders of military installations may
each identify up to 10 small businesses that--
(A) provide mission essential products and services
to the applicable military installation; and
(B) have been negatively impacted due to COVID-19
and the resulting economic downturn.
(2) Non-duplication.--A small business may not be
identified under paragraph (1) by more than one commander of a
military installation.
(c) Limitation on Expenditures.--In carrying out subsection (a),
the President may not expend more than $100,000 with respect to a
single small business.
(d) Determination.--For purposes of title III of the Defense
Production Act of 1950 (50 U.S.C. 4531 et seq.), products and services
provided by small businesses identified under subsection (b) to
military installations shall be deemed an industrial resource, critical
technology item, or material that is essential for national defense
purposes.
(e) Funding.--There is appropriated, out of amounts in the Treasury
not otherwise appropriated, $50,000,000 to exercise the authorities
described under subsection (a).
(f) Report.--Not later than the end of the 365-day period beginning
on the date of enactment of this Act, the President shall issue a
report to the Congress detailing the use of the authorities provided by
this Act.
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Military installation.--The term ``military
installation'' has the meaning given that term under section
2687 of title 10, United States Code.
(2) Mission essential products and services.--The term
``mission essential products and services'' means--
(A) products or services essential to--
(i) physical security;
(ii) ensuring a regular supply of food,
water, and medical supplies;
(iii) maintenance and upkeep of military
installation facilities, grounds, and vehicles;
or
(iv) ensuring a regular supply of utilities
(including water, electricity, and natural
gas); or
(B) any products or services not described under
subparagraph (A) with respect to which the commander of
a military installation determines that a gap in the
availability of such products or services would disrupt
normal operations of the military installation.
(3) Small business.--The term ``small business'' has the
meaning given the term ``small business concern'' under section
3 of the Small Business Act.
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