I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8266 
To modify the Federal cost share of certain emergency assistance provided 
under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act, to modify the activities eligible for assistance under the emergency 
declaration issued by the President on March 13, 2020, relating to 
COVID–19, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 
Mr. DEFAZIO (for himself, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mrs. LOWEY, Ms. 
TITUS, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. WALDEN, Mr. 
SCHRADER, Ms. BONAMICI, Ms. NORTON, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. SEAN 
PATRICK MALONEY of New York, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mr. 
LOWENTHAL, Mr. STANTON, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. PAPPAS, Mr. 
GARAMENDI, Ms. FINKENAUER, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, 
Mr. SIRES, Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. DESAULNIER, Mr. 
ROUDA, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. COSTA, Ms. JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. COHEN, 
Ms. SA´NCHEZ, Mr. BROWN of Maryland, Ms. ESHOO, and Ms. LOFGREN) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To modify the Federal cost share of certain emergency assist-
ance provided under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, to modify the ac-
tivities eligible for assistance under the emergency dec-
laration issued by the President on March 13, 2020, 
relating to COVID–19, and for other purposes. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘FEMA Assistance Re-
lief Act of 2020’’. 
SEC. 2. COST SHARE. 
(a) 
TEMPORARY
FEDERAL
SHARE.—Notwith-
standing sections 403(b), 403(c)(4), 404(a), 406(b), 
408(d), 408(g)(2), 428(e)(2)(B), and 503(a) of the Robert 
T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), for any emergency or major dis-
aster declared by the President under such Act during the 
period beginning on January 1, 2020, and ending on De-
cember 31, 2020, the Federal share of assistance provided 
under such sections shall be not less than 90 percent of 
the eligible cost of such assistance. 
(b) COST SHARE UNDER COVID EMERGENCY DEC-
LARATION.—Notwithstanding subsection (a), assistance 
provided under the emergency declaration issued by the 
President on March 13, 2020, pursuant to section 501(b) 
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5191(b)), and under any subse-
quent major disaster declaration under section 401 of such 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) that supersedes such emergency 
declaration, shall be at a 100 percent Federal cost share. 
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SEC. 3. CLARIFICATION OF ASSISTANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—For the emergency declared on 
March 13, 2020, by the President under section 501 of 
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency As-
sistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5191), the President may provide 
assistance for activities, costs, and purchases of States or 
local governments or the owners or operators of eligible 
private nonprofits, including— 
(1) activities eligible for assistance under sec-
tions 301, 415, 416, and 426 of the Robert T. Staf-
ford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5141, 5182, 5183, 5189d); 
(2) backfill costs for first responders and other 
essential employees who are ill or quarantined; 
(3) increased operating costs for essential gov-
ernment services due to such emergency, including 
costs for implementing continuity plans, and shel-
tering or housing for first responders, emergency 
managers, health providers, and other essential em-
ployees; 
(4) costs of providing guidance and information 
to the public and for call centers to disseminate such 
guidance and information; 
(5) costs associated with establishing and oper-
ating virtual services; 
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(6) costs for establishing and operating remote 
test sites; 
(7) training provided specifically in anticipation 
of or in response to the event on which such emer-
gency declaration is predicated; 
(8) personal protective equipment and other 
critical supplies and services for first responders and 
other essential employees, including individuals 
working in public schools, courthouses, and public 
transit systems; 
(9) medical equipment, regardless of whether 
such equipment is used for emergency or inpatient 
care; 
(10) public health costs, including provision and 
distribution of medicine and medical supplies; 
(11) costs associated with maintaining alternate 
care facilities or related facilities currently inactive 
but related to future needs tied to the ongoing pan-
demic event; and 
(12) costs of procuring and distributing food to 
individuals affected by the pandemic through net-
works established by State, local, or Tribal govern-
ments, or other organizations, including restaurants 
and farms, and for the purchase of food directly 
from food producers and farmers. 
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(b) MAJOR DISASTER.—The activities described in 
subsection (a) may also be eligible for assistance under 
any major disaster declared by the President under section 
401 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) that supersedes the 
emergency declaration described in such subsection. 
(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed to make ineligible any assistance 
that would otherwise be eligible under section 403 or 502 
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b, 5192). 
(d) STATE DEFINED.—In this section, the term 
‘‘State’’ has the meaning given the term in section 102 
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122). 
Æ 
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