II 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4377 

To facilitate the safe re-opening of schools by conducting or supporting 

research on children’s infection with, and role in transmitting, SARS– 

CoV–2, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 30, 2020 

Mr. BRAUN (for himself, Mr. CASEY, Mr. RUBIO, and Mr. BROWN) introduced 

the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 

on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

To facilitate the safe re-opening of schools by conducting 

or supporting research on children’s infection with, and 

role in transmitting, SARS–CoV–2, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protect our Children 

5 from COVID–19 Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) The pandemic caused by the virus SARS– 

2 CoV–2 has required a whole-of-society response 

3 through mitigation efforts such as stay-at-home or4 ders and the physical closing of schools. 

5 (2) Physical school closures can have substan6 tial negative effects on children’s education, mental 

7 health, and social and emotional development. 

8 (3) In general, physical school closures com9 pound inequities for many students, including stu10 dents in rural and low-income communities, where 

11 students often lack access to computers and high12 speed internet, as well as exacerbate achievement 

13 gaps for students from low-income families, students 

14 with disabilities, English learners, students of color, 

15 and students experiencing homelessness. 

16 (4) To date, scientific evidence suggests chil17 dren have a lower probability of developing a serious 

18 illness from COVID–19, the illness caused by 

19 SARS–CoV–2, than adults. It remains unclear, how20 ever, what role children play in transmitting SARS– 

21 CoV–2 to other children or adults. 

22 (5) Pursuing research that analyzes and in23 creases understanding of the transmissibility of 

24 SARS–CoV–2 in children will help families, edu25 cators, and elected leaders make evidence-based deciVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:12 Aug 13, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4377.IS S4377

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1 sions on safely physically re-opening schools and our 

2 economy. 

3 SEC. 3. STUDY ON CHILDREN’S CONTRACTING AND TRANS4 MITTING OF SARS–COV–2. 

5 (a) STUDY.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than the date that 

7 is 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 

8 the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this 

9 section referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’), acting 

10 through the Director of the National Institutes of 

11 Health and in coordination with the Director of the 

12 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and ex13 perts from outside of the Department of Health and 

14 Human Services, such as the Department of Edu15 cation, health, occupational safety, and education 

16 professional associations, and academia, as appro17 priate, shall conduct or support research on chil18 dren’s role in transmitting SARS–CoV–2. 

19 (2) ISSUES TO BE STUDIED.—The research 

20 under paragraph (1)— 

21 (A) shall include research on— 

22 (i) the transmissibility of SARS–CoV– 

23 2 from child to child, child to adult, and 

24 adult to child; 


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1 (ii) the vulnerability of children to se2 vere illness with COVID–19, including chil3 dren with underlying health conditions, de4 tailing any differences by age or grade 

5 level; and 

6 (iii) the vulnerability of children to 

7 COVID–19 while being transported to and 

8 from school, while playing sports (includ9 ing contact sports), and while engaging in 

10 other extramural activities, detailing any 

11 differences by age or grade level; and 

12 (B) may include research on— 

13 (i) the vulnerability of adults to 

14 COVID–19, including adults with under15 lying health conditions, extended family 

16 members living with children, (such as 

17 grandparents), and vulnerabilities associ18 ated with certain activities, including— 

19 (I) adults sending children from 

20 the household back to school; and 

21 (II) adults interacting with chil22 dren who may be asymptomatic but 

23 infected with COVID–19, including 

24 working in schools; and 


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1 (ii) the types of personal protective 

2 equipment that should be provided to stu3 dents, educators, classified school employ4 ees, and other school staff employed in 

5 school buildings. 

6 (3) CONSIDERATIONS.—In conducting or sup7 porting the research under paragraph (1), the Sec8 retary shall— 

9 (A) take into consideration the best avail10 able science, including as provided by the Na11 tional Academy of Sciences, the National Acad12 emy of Medicine, and other evidence-based or 

13 peer-reviewed sources; and 

14 (B) ensure that such research includes 

15 consideration of children and adults who are 

16 members of racial and ethnic minority groups, 

17 as well as children and adults who are 

18 immunocompromised or who may be at a great19 er risk from COVID–19, children and adults 

20 with disabilities, children and families experi21 encing homelessness, and children who are eligi22 ble for a free or reduced price lunch under the 

23 Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act 

24 (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.). 


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1 (b) REPORTING.—Not later than 6 months after the 

2 date of enactment of this Act, and quarterly thereafter 

3 through the end of the public health emergency declared 

4 by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under 

5 section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 

6 247d) on January 31, 2020, with respect to COVID–19, 

7 the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on chil8 dren’s role in transmitting SARS–CoV–2. Each report 

9 shall include an overview of the research conducted or sup10 ported under subsection (a) and any relevant findings, and 

11 the best practices disseminated to stakeholders under sub12 section (c). 

13 (c) DISSEMINATION OF BEST PRACTICES.—Not later 

14 than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 

15 and quarterly thereafter through the end of the public 

16 health emergency described in subsection (b), the Sec17 retary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Dis18 ease Control and Prevention, shall disseminate to stake19 holders best practices for protecting children and adults 

20 in educational settings, including the types of personal 

21 protective equipment that should be provided to students, 

22 educators, classified school employees, and other school 

23 staff employed in school buildings. The first set of best 

24 practices disseminated pursuant to the preceding sentence 

25 shall include any best practices for protecting children and 


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1 adults in educational settings identified through the re2 search conducted or supported under subsection (a), and 

3 subsequent quarterly updates shall continue to reflect the 

4 best available science. 

Æ 


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