I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7923 

To authorize the President to suspend or waive civil enforcement of any 

rule for certain purposes during the coronavirus pandemic, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AUGUST 4, 2020 

Mr. COMER (for himself, Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana, Mr. ARMSTRONG, Mr. 

CLOUD, Ms. FOXX of North Carolina, Mr. NORMAN, Mr. GREEN of Tennessee, and Mr. KELLER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform 

A BILL 

To authorize the President to suspend or waive civil enforcement of any rule for certain purposes during the 

coronavirus pandemic, 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 ‘‘Pandemic Recovery 

5 Enforcement Flexibility Act of 2020’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PRESIDENTIAL WAIVER. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—During the covered period, the 

8 President may order the suspension or waiver of civil enVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:55 Aug 21, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7923.IH H7923

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1 forcement of any rule for any of the following reasons re2 lated to the response to the coronavirus pandemic or 

3 strengthening recovery from the pandemic: 

4 (1) Enforcement of the rule would unreasonably 

5 inhibit or impede efforts to respond to SARS–CoV– 

6 2. 

7 (2) Enforcement of the rule would unreasonably 

8 inhibit or impede health or economic recovery by— 

9 (A) persons infected by SARS–CoV–2; 

10 (B) individuals or entities that supported 

11 or support persons infected by SARS–CoV–2; 

12 or 

13 (C) entities that qualify as small entities 

14 within the meaning of section 601(6) of title 5, 

15 United States Code, and the employees, con16 tractors, or investors of those small entities. 

17 (3) Enforcement of the rule would otherwise 

18 unreasonably inhibit or impede health, economic per19 formance, or the stability of wages or employment 

20 during the covered period, including by inhibiting or 

21 impeding— 

22 (A) access to health care or health care 

23 equipment or supplies; 

24 (B) access to employment; 

25 (C) access to public or private assistance; 


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1 (D) consumer or business spending, invest2 ment, or access to capital or credit; or 

3 (E) other consumer or business activity, 

4 including hiring and education or retraining. 

5 (b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

6 (1) CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.—The term 

7 ‘‘coronavirus pandemic’’ means the SARS–CoV–2 

8 pandemic of 2019–2020. 

9 (2) COVERED PERIOD.—The term ‘‘covered pe10 riod’’ means the period that— 

11 (A) begins on the date of the enactment of 

12 this section; and 

13 (B) ends on the date that is 1 year after 

14 the date on which the public health emergency 

15 declared under section 319 of the Public Health 

16 Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) as a result of the 

17 coronavirus pandemic expires, or any renewal 

18 thereof. 

19 (3) RULE.—The term ‘‘rule’’ has the meaning 

20 given that term in section 551 of title 5, United 

21 States Code. 

22 (c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec23 tion may be construed to mean that the President lacks 


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1 any other authority to suspend or waive enforcement of 

2 any rule. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS