Bill Summary
The "FEMA Assistance Relief Act of 2020" is a proposed bill that would make changes to the Federal cost share for emergency assistance provided under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. This act, which was first passed in 1988, outlines the procedures and criteria for the Federal government to provide financial assistance to states and local governments in response to disasters and emergencies. The proposed bill would temporarily increase the Federal share of assistance from 75% to 90% for any emergency or major disaster declared by the President between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020. It would also provide a 100% Federal cost share for assistance provided under the emergency declaration issued by the President on March 13, 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill also clarifies which activities would be eligible for assistance under this emergency declaration, including backfill costs for essential employees, increased operating costs for essential government services, and costs for providing guidance and information to the public. The activities listed would also be eligible for assistance under any major disaster declaration that supersedes the emergency declaration for COVID-19. This bill would not make any other activities ineligible for assistance under the original Stafford Act. The definition of "State" used in the bill would be the same as the definition in the Stafford Act.
Possible Impacts
1. COVID-19 emergency responders could receive increased federal assistance for costs associated with operating remote test sites or maintaining alternate care facilities through the FEMA Assistance Relief Act of 2020.
2. State and local governments could receive federal funding to cover backfill costs for first responders and essential employees who are unable to work due to illness or quarantine.
3. Essential employees, such as those working in public schools or public transit systems, could receive personal protective equipment and other critical supplies through the Act.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4627 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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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).
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