I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6871 
To create a Coronavirus Containment Corps, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 14, 2020 
Mr. LEVIN of Michigan introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Commit-
tees on Education and Labor, and Natural Resources, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee con-
cerned 
A BILL 
To create a Coronavirus Containment Corps, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS; DEFINI-
TIONS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Coronavirus Containment Corps Act’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents; definitions. 
Sec. 2. Nationwide contact tracing strategy. 
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(3) The term ‘‘State’’ includes any of the 50 
States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the 
Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 
(4) The terms ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ and ‘‘Tribal or-
ganization’’ have the meanings given to the terms 
‘‘Indian Tribe’’ and ‘‘tribal organization’’, respec-
tively, in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination 
and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 
SEC. 2. NATIONWIDE CONTACT TRACING STRATEGY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 21 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services (in this section referred to as the 
‘‘Secretary’’), acting through the Director of the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention, shall— 
(1) provide to the appropriate congressional 
committees a strategy to expand COVID–19 contact 
tracing; and 
(2) include in such strategy recommendations 
to augment the capacity of State, Tribal, and local 
public health departments to train and place individ-
uals 
(to 
be 
referred 
to 
collectively 
as 
the 
‘‘Coronavirus Containment Corps’’) to— 
(A) investigate cases of COVID–19; 
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(B) identify the contacts of individuals 
confirmed or presumed to have been infected by 
SARS–CoV–2; 
(C) trace such contacts; and 
(D) provide supports to ensure that such 
contacts can take the precautions necessary to 
safely quarantine to stop the spread of COVID– 
19. 
(b) CONSULTATION.—In developing the strategy 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with— 
(1) State public health officials; 
(2) Tribal public health officials, Tribal nations, 
and Tribal organizations; 
(3) local public health officials; 
(4) the Director of the Indian Health Service; 
and 
(5) experts with knowledge of, or field experi-
ence concerning, racial and ethnic disparities in pub-
lic health and historically marginalized communities. 
(c) REQUIREMENTS.—The strategy under subsection 
(a) shall identify— 
(1) the minimum number of persons needed to 
investigate cases of COVID–19 and identify the con-
tacts of individuals confirmed or presumed to have 
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been infected by SARS–CoV–2 for each State and 
Indian Tribe; 
(2) the minimum number of contact tracers 
needed for each State and Indian Tribe; 
(3) the minimum number of specialists needed 
to connect contacts described in paragraph (1) to so-
cial supports to ensure those contacts can take the 
precautions necessary to safely quarantine to stop 
the spread of COVID–19 for each State and Indian 
Tribe; 
(4) the recommended qualifications necessary 
for case investigators, contact tracers, and social 
support specialists to perform such duties success-
fully; 
(5) strategies to enable State, Tribal, and local 
public health departments to hire, train, and deploy 
case investigators, contact tracers, and social sup-
port specialists; 
(6) strategies to rapidly develop guidance and 
training materials necessary to support public health 
departments in preparing individuals to serve as 
case investigators, contact tracers, and social sup-
port specialists; 
(7) plans to use mobile or app-based contact 
tracing technology, including— 
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(A) plans to prevent the misuse of data 
and to ensure the automatic deletion of data 
after the conclusion of the COVID–19 public 
health emergency; and 
(B) plans to prohibit data sharing with 
and within the Federal Government, with the 
exceptions of the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention and the Indian Health Service; 
(8) strategies to record and publicly report de- 
identified data, while protecting— 
(A) the privacy of individuals and informa-
tion regarding their personal health; and 
(B) Tribal data sovereignty; 
(9) protocols to limit the risks posed to indi-
vidual privacy and data security, including through 
data minimization, anonymizing and redacting, and 
limitations on sharing and storing personally identi-
fiable information; 
(10) strategies to monitor and evaluate best 
practices in contact tracing, with input from State, 
Tribal, and local public health departments; and 
(11) strategies to coordinate with State and 
Tribal workforce agencies to recruit newly unem-
ployed individuals— 
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(A) prioritizing individuals from within the 
communities in which they will work; and 
(B) reflecting the diversity of that commu-
nity. 
(d) STRATEGIES TO ENABLE HIRING, TRAINING, 
AND DEPLOYMENT.—Not later than 7 days after the 
strategy under subsection (a) is provided to the appro-
priate congressional committees, the Secretary shall pro-
vide the strategies described in subsection (c)(5) to States 
and Tribes. 
SEC. 3. GRANTS TO PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of ap-
propriations, the Secretary Health and Human Services 
(in this section referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’), acting 
through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention, shall award a grant to each State and 
local public health department that seeks a grant in ac-
cordance with this section to implement the strategy under 
section 2(a). 
(b) FORMULA.—The Secretary shall allocate amounts 
made available pursuant to subsection (a) in accordance 
with a formula to be established by the Secretary that— 
(1) provides a minimum level of funding to each 
grantee; and 
(2) allocates— 
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(A) additional funding among grantees 
based on— 
(i) population; 
(ii) the projected need for COVID–19 
in vitro diagnostic products (as defined in 
section 809.3 of title 21, Code of Federal 
Regulations (or successor regulations)) 
during the period of the grant; 
(iii) the percentage of COVID–19 
cases per 10,000 persons as of the date of 
submission of the application for the grant; 
(iv) the COVID–19 case growth rate; 
and 
(v) the projected number of COVID– 
19 cases during the period of the grant; 
and 
(B) an additional increment for States that 
have a plan to increase the percentage of the 
population that will be tested. 
(c) REQUIRED USES OF FUNDS.—Amounts made 
available to a grantee pursuant to subsection (a) shall be 
used for the following activities: 
(1) Costs, including wages and benefits, includ-
ing health care benefits, as appropriate, related to 
the recruiting and hiring of individuals— 
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(A) to serve as case investigators, contact 
tracers, and social support specialists described 
in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), respectively, of 
section 2(c); and 
(B) employed by— 
(i) the State or local government in-
volved; or 
(ii) a nonprofit organization with 
demonstrated expertise in implementing 
public health programs. 
(2) Supplies necessary for grantees to imple-
ment the strategy established under section 2, in-
cluding any supplies, equipment, or technology for 
individuals serving as case investigators, contact 
tracers, or social support specialists. 
(3) Administrative costs and activities necessary 
for grantees to implement the strategy established 
under section 2. 
(4) Development of partnerships with State and 
local workforce development systems as defined in 
section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Oppor-
tunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102) to provide training and 
supportive service for individuals serving as case in-
vestigators, contact tracers, or social support special-
ists. 
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(5) Reporting to the Centers for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention on— 
(A) implementation of the strategy estab-
lished under section 2; and 
(B) indicators of performance listed in sec-
tion 5(c)(1). 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated 
$10,000,000,000, to remain available until expended. 
SEC. 4. AWARDS TO TRIBES AND TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of ap-
propriations, the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
(in this section referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’), acting 
through the Director of the Indian Health Service, in co-
ordination with the Director of the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, in consultation with Indian 
Tribes and Tribal organizations, shall award funds to In-
dian Tribes and Tribal organizations to implement the 
strategy established under section 2. 
(b) FORMULA.—The Secretary shall allocate amounts 
made available pursuant to subsection (a) in accordance 
with a formula to be established by the Secretary in con-
sultation with Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations 
that— 
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(1) provides a minimum level of funding to each 
Indian Tribe and Tribal organization; and 
(2) allocates additional funding on the basis of 
population. 
(c) ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.—Amounts made available 
to an awardee pursuant to subsection (a) shall be used 
for the following activities: 
(1) Costs, including wages and benefits, includ-
ing health care benefits, as appropriate, related to 
the recruiting and hiring of individuals— 
(A) to serve as case investigators, contact 
tracers, and social support specialists described 
in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), respectively, of 
section 2(c); and 
(B) employed by— 
(i) the Tribal government involved; or 
(ii) a nonprofit organizations with 
demonstrated expertise in implementing 
public health programs. 
(2) Supplies necessary for awardees to imple-
ment the strategy established under section 2, in-
cluding any supplies, equipment, or technology for 
individuals serving as case investigators, contact 
tracers, or social support specialists. 
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(3) Administrative costs and activities necessary 
for awardees to implement the strategy established 
under section 2. 
(4) Development of partnerships with State and 
local workforce development systems as defined in 
section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Oppor-
tunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102) to provide training and 
supportive service for individuals serving as case in-
vestigators, contact tracers, or social support special-
ists. 
(5) Reporting to the Indian Health Service, 
which shall then report the information to the Cen-
ters for Disease Control and Prevention, on— 
(A) implementation of the strategy estab-
lished under section 2; and 
(B) indicators of performance listed in sec-
tion 5(c)(1). 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated 
$1,000,000,000, to remain available until expended. 
SEC. 5. REPORTING BY THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CON-
TROL AND PREVENTION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, and every 30 days there-
after, the Secretary of Health and Human Services acting 
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through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’) shall report to the appropriate congressional com-
mittees on the implementation of the strategy established 
under section 2. 
(b) REPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE.—In carrying out 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
(1) support a reporting infrastructure that— 
(A) minimizes administrative burdens on 
States, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and 
localities; and 
(B) protects the privacy of individuals’ in-
formation; and 
(2) consult with Indian Tribes and Tribal orga-
nizations and coordinate with the Indian Health 
Service to create a reporting infrastructure for In-
dian Tribes and Tribal organizations that— 
(A) honors and preserves Tribal data sov-
ereignty; and 
(B) ensures that Indian Tribes and Tribal 
organizations consent before any Tribal data is 
reported. 
(c) REQUIREMENTS.—The report under subsection 
(a) shall— 
(1) for each State and Indian Tribe include— 
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(A) the number of case investigators hired, 
trained, and deployed; 
(B) the number of contact tracers hired, 
trained, and deployed; 
(C) the number of social support special-
ists hired, trained, and deployed; 
(D) the number of case investigations 
launched; 
(E) the percentage of contacts reached 
compared to the percentage of contacts identi-
fied; 
(F) the percentage of contacts quarantined 
or isolated compared to the percentage of con-
tacts reached; 
(G) the percentage of contacts connected 
to social supports compared to the percentage 
of contacts needing such supports to quar-
antine; and 
(H) a description of any barriers that limit 
the ability of contacts to quarantine, to isolate, 
or to access needed social supports; 
(2) contextualize the data that is reported so as 
to 
mitigate 
discrimination 
against 
historically 
marginalized communities; and 
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(3) be made public on the internet website of 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 
SEC. 6. GRANTS TO STATE AND TRIBAL WORKFORCE AGEN-
CIES. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Except as otherwise pro-
vided, the terms in this section have the meanings 
given the terms in section 3 of the Workforce Inno-
vation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102). 
(2) APPRENTICESHIP; APPRENTICESHIP
PRO-
GRAM.—The term ‘‘apprenticeship’’ or ‘‘apprentice-
ship program’’ means an apprenticeship program 
registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 (com-
monly known as the ‘‘National Apprenticeship Act’’) 
(50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.), 
including any requirement, standard, or rule promul-
gated under such Act, as such requirement, stand-
ard, or rule was in effect on December 30, 2019. 
(3) CONTACT
TRACING
AND
RELATED
POSI-
TIONS.—The term ‘‘contact tracing and related posi-
tions’’ means employment related to contact tracing, 
surveillance, containment, and mitigation activities. 
(4) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means— 
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(A) a State or territory, including the Dis-
trict of Columbia and Puerto Rico; 
(B) an Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, 
Urban Indian organization, Alaska Native enti-
ty, Indian-controlled organization serving Indi-
ans, or Native Hawaiian organization; 
(C) an outlying area; or 
(D) a local board, if an eligible entity 
under subparagraphs (A) through (C) has not 
applied with respect to the area over which the 
local board has jurisdiction as of the date on 
which the local board submits an application 
under subsection (c). 
(5) ELIGIBLE
INDIVIDUAL.—Notwithstanding 
section 170(b)(2) of the Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3225(b)(2)), the term 
‘‘eligible individual’’ means an individual seeking or 
securing employment in contact tracing or related 
positions and is served by an eligible entity or com-
munity-based organization receiving funding under 
this section. 
(6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Labor. 
(7) URBAN INDIAN ORGANIZATION.—The term 
‘‘Urban Indian organization’’ has the meaning given 
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to such term in section 4 of the Indian Health Care 
Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603). 
(b) GRANTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of 
appropriations under subsection (g), the Secretary 
shall award national dislocated worker grants under 
section 170(b)(1)(B) of the Workforce Innovation 
and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3225(b)(1)(B)) to 
each eligible entity that seeks a grant to assist local 
boards and community-based organizations in car-
rying out activities under subsections (f) and (d), re-
spectively, for the following purposes: 
(A) To support the recruitment, place-
ment, and training, as applicable, of eligible in-
dividuals seeking employment in contact tracing 
and related positions in accordance with the 
strategy established under section 2 of this Act. 
(B) To assist with the employment transi-
tion to new employment or education and train-
ing of individuals employed under this section 
in preparation for and upon termination of such 
employment. 
(2) TIMELINE.—The Secretary of Labor shall— 
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(A) issue application requirements under 
subsection (c) not later than 10 days after the 
date of enactment of this section; and 
(B) award grants to an eligible entity 
under paragraph (1) not later than 10 days 
after the date on which the Secretary receives 
an application from such entity. 
(c) GRANT APPLICATION.—An eligible entity apply-
ing for a grant under this section shall submit an applica-
tion to the Secretary, at such time and in such form and 
manner as the Secretary may reasonably require, which 
shall include a description of— 
(1) how the eligible entity will support the re-
cruitment, placement, and training, as applicable, of 
eligible individuals seeking employment in contact 
tracing and related positions by partnering with— 
(A) a State, local, Tribal, or territorial 
health department; or 
(B) 
a 
community-based 
organization 
partnering with such health departments; 
(2) how the activities described in paragraph 
(1) will support State efforts to address the demand 
for contact tracing and related positions with respect 
to— 
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(A) the State plans referred to in the head-
ing ‘‘Public Health and Social Services Emer-
gency Fund’’ in title I of division B of the Pay-
check Protection Program and Health Care En-
hancement Act (Public Law 116–139); 
(B) the strategy established under section 
2 of this Act; and 
(C) the number of eligible individuals that 
the State plans to recruit and train under the 
plans and strategies described in subparagraphs 
(A) and (B); 
(3) the specific strategies for recruiting and 
placement of eligible individuals from or residing 
within the communities in which they will work, in-
cluding— 
(A) plans for the recruitment of eligible in-
dividuals to serve as contact tracers and related 
positions, including dislocated workers, individ-
uals with barriers to employment, veterans, new 
entrants in the workforce, or underemployed or 
furloughed workers, who are from or reside in 
or near the local area in which they will serve, 
and who, to the extent practicable— 
(i) have experience or a background in 
industry-sectors and occupations such as 
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