I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6437 
To ensure that all communities have access to urgently needed COVID– 
19 testing, treatment, public health information, and relief benefits re-
gardless of immigration status or limited English proficiency, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 3, 2020 
Ms. JUDY CHU of California (for herself, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. CORREA, Mr. 
TAKANO, Mr. SERRANO, Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ, Ms. NORTON, Mr. PA-
NETTA, Mr. CONNOLLY, Ms. GARCIA of Texas, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Ms. 
MOORE, Ms. HAALAND, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. GARCI´A of Illinois, Ms. 
PRESSLEY, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. CROW, Ms. 
TLAIB, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. SEWELL of Alabama, Mr. SOTO, Mr. COX 
of California, Ms. JAYAPAL, Mrs. HAYES, Ms. WILSON of Florida, and 
Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees 
on the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Ways and 
Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To ensure that all communities have access to urgently need-
ed COVID–19 testing, treatment, public health informa-
tion, and relief benefits regardless of immigration status 
or limited English proficiency, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Coronavirus Immi-
grant Families Protection Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) CORONAVIRUS
PUBLIC
HEALTH
EMER-
GENCY.—The term ‘‘coronavirus public health emer-
gency’’ means— 
(A) an emergency involving Federal pri-
mary responsibility determined to exist by the 
President under section 501(b) of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assist-
ance Act (42 U.S.C. 5191(b)) with respect to 
COVID–19 or any other coronavirus with pan-
demic potential; 
(B) an emergency declared by a Federal 
official with respect to coronavirus (as defined 
in section 506 of the Coronavirus Preparedness 
and Response Supplemental Appropriations 
Act, 2020 (Public Law 116–123)); 
(C) a national emergency declared by the 
President under the National Emergencies Act 
(50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) with respect to 
COVID–19 or any other coronavirus with pan-
demic potential; and 
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(D) a public health emergency declared by 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247(d)) with respect to 
COVID–19 or any other coronavirus with pan-
demic potential. 
(2) CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE LAW.—The term 
‘‘coronavirus response law’’ means— 
(A) the Coronavirus Preparedness and Re-
sponse Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 
(Public Law 116–123); 
(B) the Families First Coronavirus Re-
sponse Act (Public Law 116–127); 
(C) the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Eco-
nomic Security Act (Public Law 116–136); and 
(D) any subsequent law enacted as a re-
sponse to a coronavirus public health emer-
gency. 
(3) 
COVID–19.—The 
term 
‘‘COVID–19’’ 
means the Coronavirus Disease 2019. 
(4) ENFORCEMENT
ACTION.—The term ‘‘en-
forcement action’’ means an apprehension, an arrest, 
a search, an interview, a request for identification, 
or surveillance for the purposes of immigration en-
forcement. 
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(5) SENSITIVE LOCATION.—The term ‘‘sensitive 
location’’ means all physical space located within 
1,000 feet of— 
(A) a medical treatment or health care fa-
cility, including a hospital, an office of a health 
care practitioner, an accredited health clinic, an 
alcohol or drug treatment center, an emergent 
or urgent care facility, and a community health 
center; 
(B) a location at which emergency service 
providers distribute food or provide shelter; 
(C) an organization that provides— 
(i) disaster or emergency social serv-
ices and assistance; 
(ii) services for individuals experi-
encing homelessness, including food banks 
and shelters; or 
(iii) assistance for children, pregnant 
women, victims of crime or abuse, or indi-
viduals with significant mental or physical 
disabilities; 
(D) a public assistance office, including 
any Federal, State, or municipal location at 
which individuals may apply for or receive un-
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employment compensation or report violations 
of labor and employment laws; 
(E) a Federal, State, or local courthouse, 
including the office of the legal counsel or rep-
resentative of an individual; 
(F) a domestic violence shelter, rape crisis 
center, supervised visitation center, family jus-
tice center, or victim services provider; 
(G) an office of the Social Security Admin-
istration; 
(H) a childcare facility or a school, includ-
ing a preschool, primary school, secondary 
school, post-secondary school up to and includ-
ing a college or university, and any other insti-
tution of learning such as a vocational or trade 
school; 
(I) a church, synagogue, mosque or any 
other institution of worship, such as a building 
rented for the purpose of a religious service; 
(J) the site of a funeral, wedding, or any 
other public religious ceremony; 
(K) in the case of a jurisdiction in which 
a shelter-in-place order is in effect during a 
coronavirus public health emergency, any busi-
ness location considered to provide an essential 
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service, such as a pharmacy or a grocery store; 
and 
(L) any other location specified by the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security. 
SEC. 3. SUSPENSION OF ADVERSE IMMIGRATION ACTIONS 
THAT 
DETER 
IMMIGRANT 
COMMUNITIES 
FROM SEEKING HEALTH SERVICES IN A PUB-
LIC HEALTH EMERGENCY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Beginning on the date on which 
a coronavirus public health emergency is declared and end-
ing on the date that is 60 days after the date on which 
the coronavirus public health emergency expires— 
(1) the Secretary of Homeland Security, the 
Secretary of State, and the Attorney General shall 
not— 
(A) implement the final rule of the Depart-
ment of Homeland Security entitled ‘‘Inadmis-
sibility on Public Charge Grounds’’ (84 Fed. 
Reg. 41292 (August 14, 2019)); 
(B) implement the interim final rule of the 
Department of State entitled ‘‘Visas: Ineligi-
bility Based on Public Charge Grounds’’ (84 
Fed. Reg. 54996 (October 11, 2019)); 
(C) implement the proposed rule of the De-
partment of Justice entitled ‘‘Inadmissibility on 
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Public Charge Grounds’’ published in the Fall 
2018 Uniform Regulatory Agenda; 
(D) 
conduct 
any 
enforcement 
action 
against an individual at, or in transit to or 
from, a sensitive location unless the enforce-
ment action is conducted pursuant to a valid ju-
dicial warrant; 
(E) detain or remove— 
(i) a survivor of domestic violence, 
sexual assault, or human trafficking, or 
any other individual, who has a pending 
application under section 101(a)(15)(T), 
101(a)(15)(U), 106, 240A(b)(2) of the Im-
migration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1101(a)(15)(T), 1101(a)(15)(U), 1105a, 
1229b(b)(2)) or section 244(a)(3) of that 
Act (as in effect on March 31, 1997); or 
(ii) a VAWA self-petitioner described 
in section 101(a)(51) of that Act (8 U.S.C. 
1101(a)(51)) who has a pending applica-
tion for relief under— 
(I) a provision referred to in any 
of subparagraphs (A) through (G) of 
that section; or 
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(II) section 101(a)(27)(J) of that 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(J)); and 
(F) require an individual subject to super-
vision by U.S. Immigration and Customs En-
forcement to report in person. 
(2) The Attorney General shall conduct fully 
telephonic bond hearings and allow supporting docu-
ments to be faxed and emailed to the appropriate 
clerk. 
(3) The Secretary of Homeland Security, to the 
extent practicable, shall stipulate to bond determina-
tions on written motions. 
(b) USE OF BENEFITS FUNDED BY CORONAVIRUS 
RESPONSE LAW.—The Secretary of Homeland Security, 
the Secretary of State, and the Attorney General shall not 
consider in any determination affecting the current or fu-
ture immigration status of any individual the use of any 
benefit of any program or activity funded in whole or in 
part by amounts made available under a coronavirus re-
sponse law. 
SEC. 4. ACCESS TO COVID–19 TESTING AND TREATMENT 
FOR ALL COMMUNITIES. 
(a) CLARIFICATION REGARDING EMERGENCY SERV-
ICES FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS.—Section 1903(v)(2) of 
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the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b(v)(2)) is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following flush sentence: 
‘‘For purposes of subparagraph (A), care and services 
described in such subparagraph include any in vitro diag-
nostic product described in section 1905(a)(3)(B) that is 
administered during any portion of the emergency period 
described in such section beginning on or after the date 
of the enactment of this sentence (and the administration 
of such product), any COVID–19 vaccine that is adminis-
tered during any such portion (and the administration of 
such vaccine), any item or service that is furnished during 
any such portion for the treatment of COVID–19 or a con-
dition that may complicate the treatment of COVID–19, 
and any services described in section 1916(a)(2)(G).’’. 
(b) EMERGENCY MEDICAID FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH 
SUSPECTED
COVID–19 
INFECTIONS.—Section 
1903(v)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1396b(v)(3)) is amended by striking ‘‘means a’’ and in-
serting ‘‘means any concern that the individual may have 
contracted COVID–19 or another.’’. 
(c) TREATMENT OF ASSISTANCE AND SERVICES PRO-
VIDED.—For any period during which a coronavirus public 
health emergency is in effect— 
(1) the value of assistance or services provided 
to any person under a program with respect to 
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which a coronavirus response law establishes or ex-
pands eligibility or benefits shall not be considered 
income or resources; and 
(2)(A) any medical coverage or services shall be 
considered treatment for an emergency medical con-
dition (as defined in section 1903(v)(3) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b(v)(3))) for any pur-
pose under any Federal, State, or local law, includ-
ing law relating to taxation, welfare, and public as-
sistance programs; 
(B) a participating State or political sub-
division of a State shall not decrease any assist-
ance otherwise provided to an individual be-
cause of the receipt of benefits under the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 301 et seq.); and 
(C) assistance and services described in 
this paragraph shall be considered noncash dis-
aster assistance, notwithstanding the form in 
which the assistance and services are provided, 
except that cash received by an individual or a 
household may be treated as income by any 
public benefit program under the rules applica-
ble before the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(d) NONDISCRIMINATION.—No person shall be, on 
the basis of actual or perceived immigration status, ex-
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cluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or 
subject to discrimination under, any program or activity 
funded in whole or in part by amounts made available 
under a coronavirus response law. 
SEC. 5. LANGUAGE ACCESS AND PUBLIC OUTREACH FOR 
PUBLIC HEALTH. 
(a) GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (referred to in 
this section as the ‘‘Director’’) shall provide grants 
to, or enter into cooperative agreements with, com-
munity-based organizations for the purpose of sup-
porting culturally and linguistically appropriate pre-
paredness, response, and recovery activities, such as 
the development of educational programs and mate-
rials to promote screening, testing, treatment, and 
public health practices. 
(2) DEFINITION OF COMMUNITY-BASED ORGA-
NIZATION.—In this subsection, the term ‘‘commu-
nity-based organization’’ means an entity that has 
established relationships with hard-to-reach popu-
lations, including racial and ethnic minorities, indi-
viduals with limited English proficiency, and individ-
uals with disabilities. 
(b) TRANSLATION.— 
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