IIB 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7496 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 1, 2020 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and 

Governmental Affairs 

AN ACT 

To require Federal agencies to submit plans for responding 

to any resurgence of COVID–19, 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, 


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HR 7496 RFS

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘COVID Preparedness, 

3 Response, and Effective Planning for Advanced Require4 ments by the Executive Branch Act of 2020’’ or the 

5 ‘‘COVID PREPARE Act of 2020’’. 

6 SEC. 2. COVID–19 RESURGENCE PLAN. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after the 

8 date of the enactment of this Act, the head of each agency 

9 shall submit to Congress an initial report detailing an ac10 tion plan, informed by research and best practices learned 

11 from the onset of COVID–19 and previous presidentially 

12 declared emergencies, for addressing the needs and miti13 gating and eliminating the risks and challenges associated 

14 with any resurgence in COVID–19 cases, that includes— 

15 (1) agency priorities for preparing for and re16 sponding to any resurgence of COVID–19, including 

17 continuity of operations and fulfilling the mission of 

18 the agency; 

19 (2) measurable goals specific to priorities and a 

20 time line for addressing each priority; 

21 (3) anticipated challenges to addressing prior22 ities and how the agency will address such chal23 lenges; 

24 (4) how the agency will consult with Congress, 

25 the public, State and municipal governments, and 

26 relevant stakeholders while working remotely; and 


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HR 7496 RFS

1 (5) how the agency plans to issue relevant guid2 ance to entities under the jurisdiction of the agency. 

3 (b) SUBSEQUENT REPORTS.—Not later than 60 days 

4 after the date of the enactment of this Act, and quarterly 

5 thereafter until the President ends the declared emer6 gency, the head of each agency shall submit to Congress 

7 a report that provides an update of the details submitted 

8 in the plan under subsection (a), including— 

9 (1) the status of each priority; 

10 (2) an explanation for any goal that has not 

11 been met within the specified time frame; and 

12 (3) any changes or updates to the plan. 

13 (c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

14 (1) AGENCY.—The term ‘‘agency’’ has the 

15 meaning given that term in section 551 of title 5, 

16 United States Code. 

17 (2) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 

18 the several States, the District of Columbia, each 

19 commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United 

20 States, and each federally recognized Indian Tribe. 

21 SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 

22 The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 

23 complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 

24 shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 

25 titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 


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HR 7496 RFS

1 Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 

2 by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro3 vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 

4 vote on passage. 

Passed the House of Representatives September 30, 

2020. 

Attest: CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 

Clerk. 


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