Pandemic Disaster Assistance Act of 2020

To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to provide assistance to individuals affected by a pandemic, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Pandemic Disaster Assistance Act of 2020 2. Assistance for pandemics The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5121 (1) in section 102(1) ( 42 U.S.C. 5122(1) or pandemic catastrophe (2) in section 301 ( 42 U.S.C. 5141 or an emergency due to a pandemic major disaster (3) in section 408(e) ( 42 U.S.C. 5174(e) or an emergency due to a pandemic major disaster (4) in section 410 ( 42 U.S.C. 5177 (A) in subsection (a), by inserting or an emergency due to a pandemic major disaster (B) by adding at the end the following: (c) Assistance during a pandemic In the case of an emergency due to a pandemic— (1) assistance authorized under this section shall be made available to an individual regardless of whether the individual is entitled to any other unemployment compensation (as that term is defined in section 85(b) (2) the minimum weekly benefit shall be 1.5 times the national average State unemployment compensation weekly benefit for the previous year. ; (5) in section 412 ( 42 U.S.C. 5179 (A) by inserting or an emergency due to a pandemic major disaster (B) in subsection (a) by inserting without regard to regular allotments (C) by adding at the end the following: (d) Assistance during a pandemic In the case of an emergency due to a pandemic, for purposes of providing benefits under this section, the Secretary of Agriculture shall remove or delay the requirement of an in-person interview and if an interview occurs, provide an alternative to the in-person interview requirement for all applicants. Assistance shall be provided based on need and not lost provisions. ; and (6) in section 502(a) ( 42 U.S.C. 5192(a) (A) in paragraph (7), by striking and (B) in paragraph (8)(B), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (9) provide unemployment assistance in accordance with section 410; and (10) provide assistance in accordance with section 412. . 3. Funding Provided that there are hereby appropriated to the Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of Labor such amounts as are necessary to carry out section 2(5) and section 2(4), respectively. Provided, that such amount is designated by the Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant to Section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

Summary: Pandemic Disaster Assistance Act of 2020 This bill authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide direct assistance to individuals who have been impacted by a pandemic and appropriates funds to the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Labor for unemployment compensation and disaster relief. Specifically, at the discretion of a governor or the President, individuals impacted by a pandemic will be eligible to apply directly to federal agencies for various forms of assistance, including (1) assistance under the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program; (2) assistance under the Disaster Unemployment Assistance program; and (3) other needs assistance through FEMA's Individual Assistance program, including medical, funeral, and child care assistance. With respect to the Disaster Unemployment Assistance program, the bill creates a national floor for benefits at 1.5 times the national weekly average and provides a waiver to the requirement to exhaust state unemployment insurance options. With respect to the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program, the Department of Agriculture must provide options other than an in-person interview.