I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7317 
To authorize a public service announcement campaign on the efficacy of 
cloth face coverings in reducing the spread of COVID–19, to authorize 
a program to provide cloth face coverings to any American who requests 
one free of charge, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 24, 2020 
Mr. SCHIFF (for himself, Ms. NORTON, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mrs. DINGELL, 
Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. CASTEN of Illinois, Ms. TLAIB, Mr. GRIJALVA, 
Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. SIRES, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. 
GALLEGO, Ms. LEE of California, Ms. SEWELL of Alabama, Mr. GARCI´A 
of Illinois, Mr. RASKIN, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. KHANNA, Mr. RUP-
PERSBERGER, Mr. MOULTON, Mr. CA´RDENAS, Mr. COOPER, Mr. SOTO, 
Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. COHEN, Mr. VELA, Ms. HAALAND, Mr. 
PAYNE, Ms. WILD, and Ms. SCANLON) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To authorize a public service announcement campaign on 
the efficacy of cloth face coverings in reducing the spread 
of COVID–19, to authorize a program to provide cloth 
face coverings to any American who requests one free 
of charge, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:42 Jul 11, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7317.IH
H7317
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Masks Work Act of 
2020’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The SARS–CoV–2 virus has killed over 
110,000 Americans and infected at least 2,000,000 
others. 
(2) The measures taken to contain the virus, in-
cluding social distancing and stay at home orders, 
have resulted in a significant economic disruption, 
causing tens of millions of Americans to lose jobs 
and income. 
(3) Scientific experts, including Dr. Anthony 
Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy 
and Infectious Diseases, have warned of the danger 
of a second wave of infections striking the United 
States in fall and winter. 
(4) Scientific experts within the United States 
Government and elsewhere have strongly advised 
Americans to wear cloth face coverings as a means 
to slow the spread of COVID–19 and have stated 
that wearing cloth face coverings may reduce the 
spread of respiratory droplets that may carry the 
disease. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:42 Jul 11, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7317.IH
H7317
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(5) There is a growing body of scientific re-
search indicating that high levels of cloth face cov-
ering adoption by a population can reduce trans-
mission of the virus, and may prevent asymptomatic 
or presymptomatic carriers from unknowingly infect-
ing others. 
(6) One scientific model estimated that if 80 
percent of the population adopted proper face cov-
ering use, transmission would be 1⁄12 what it would 
be in a population without wearing cloth face cov-
erings. Another newly released study conducted with 
animals found that face coverings reduced trans-
mission of COVID–19 by 75 percent. 
(7) Nations in Southeast Asia with high levels 
of cloth face covering wearing have been more effec-
tive than others in reducing the spread of COVID– 
19, and have experienced comparably fewer infec-
tions and deaths as a result. 
(8) A recent study from the University of 
Iowa’s College of Public Health suggests that the 15 
States and the District of Columbia, having man-
dated wearing face coverings in public between April 
8, 2020, and May 15, 2020, averted as many as 
230,000 to 450,000 COVID–19 cases. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:42 Jul 11, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7317.IH
H7317
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(9) Many Americans have heeded the calls of 
public health experts to wear cloth face coverings 
and have made major sacrifices in other aspects of 
their life in order to control the spread of the virus. 
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that — 
(1) following the consensus advice of public 
health experts to wear face coverings can meaning-
fully reduce transmission rates for COVID–19, re-
sulting in fewer deaths, fewer Americans made seri-
ously ill, and lower economic disruption; 
(2) Americans should wear appropriate face 
coverings in situations where social distancing is dif-
ficult or impossible, particularly in indoors environ-
ments, both to protect themselves and to protect 
older Americans or others with health conditions 
that increase the risks of serious illness due to 
COVID–19; and 
(3) leaders across the political spectrum should 
model medically recommended behaviors by wearing 
face coverings appropriately and encouraging those 
around them to do the same. 
SEC. 4. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT CAMPAIGN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (in this section referred 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:42 Jul 11, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7317.IH
H7317
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
to as the ‘‘Director’’) shall carry out a public service an-
nouncement campaign campaign on television, radio, the 
internet, and digital platforms, and in print publications, 
informing Americans on— 
(1) the efficacy of cloth face coverings; and 
(2) why cloth face coverings are recommended 
by scientific and medical experts to reduce the 
spread of COVID–19. 
(b) AUDIENCE.—In carrying out the campaign under 
subsection (a), the Director shall ensure that public serv-
ice announcements reach as many Americans as possible 
with scientifically accurate messages about cloth face cov-
erings. 
(c) LANGUAGE.—The Director shall ensure that pub-
lic service announcements under this section are provided 
in at least 19 languages in addition to English, including 
the following: 
(1) Spanish. 
(2) Arabic. 
(3) Cambodian. 
(4) Chinese. 
(5) Haitian Creole. 
(6) French. 
(7) Hindi. 
(8) Italian. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:42 Jul 11, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7317.IH
H7317
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(9) Japanese. 
(10) Korean. 
(11) Laotian. 
(12) Russian. 
(13) Tagalog. 
(14) Urdu. 
(15) Vietnamese. 
(16) Greek. 
(17) Polish. 
(18) Thai. 
(19) Portuguese. 
(d) GRANTS AND CONTRACTS.—In carrying out the 
campaign under subsection (a), the Director may, subject 
to the availability of appropriations, award grants to, and 
enter into contracts with, public and private entities (in-
cluding nonprofit organizations). 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 
out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated 
such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2020 and 
2021, to remain available until expended. 
SEC. 5. CLOTH FACE COVERINGS FOR ALL. 
(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’’) shall carry 
out a program to provide cloth face coverings to any 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:42 Jul 11, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7317.IH
H7317
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS