I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6358 
To authorize supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2020 for community 
development block grants, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 23, 2020 
Mr. LYNCH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To authorize supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 
2020 for community development block grants, 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. SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY 
DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS. 
(a) FUNDING AND ALLOCATIONS.— 
(1) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There 
is 
authorized 
to 
be 
appropriated 
$12,000,000,000 for assistance in accordance with 
this section under the community development block 
grant program under title I of the Housing and 
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Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 
5301 et seq.). 
(2) INITIAL
ALLOCATION.—$6,000,000,000 of 
the amount made available pursuant to paragraph 
(1) shall be distributed pursuant to section 106 of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 5306) to grantees and such al-
locations shall be made within 30 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
(3) SUBSEQUENT ALLOCATION.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The $6,000,000,000 
made available pursuant to paragraph (1) that 
remains after allocation pursuant to paragraph 
(2) shall be allocated, not later than 45 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, di-
rectly to States to prevent, prepare for, and re-
spond to coronavirus within the State, including 
activities within entitlement and nonentitlement 
communities, based on public health needs, risk 
of transmission of coronavirus, number of 
coronavirus cases compared to the national av-
erage, and economic and housing market dis-
ruptions, and other factors, as determined by 
the Secretary, using best available data. 
(B) 
TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.—Of 
the 
amount referred to in subparagraph (A), 
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$10,000,000 shall be made available for capac-
ity building and technical assistance to support 
the use of such amounts to expedite or facilitate 
infectious disease response. 
(4) DIRECT
DISTRIBUTION.—Of the amount 
made 
available 
pursuant 
to 
paragraph 
(1), 
$3,000,000,000 shall be distributed directly to 
States and units of general local government, at the 
discretion of the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’), according to a formula based on factors to 
be determined by the Secretary, prioritizing risk of 
transmission of coronavirus, number of coronavirus 
cases compared to the national average, and eco-
nomic and housing market disruptions resulting 
from coronavirus. 
(5) ROLLING ALLOCATIONS.—Allocations under 
this subsection may be made on a rolling basis as 
additional needs develop and data becomes available. 
(6) BEST
AVAILABLE
DATA.—The Secretary 
shall make all allocations under this subsection 
based on the best available data at the time of allo-
cation. 
(b) ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.—Amounts made available 
pursuant to subsection (a) may be used only for— 
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(1) eligible activities described in 105(a) of the 
Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 
(42 U.S.C. 5305(a)) relating to preventing, pre-
paring for, or responding to the public health emer-
gency 
relating 
to 
Coronavirus 
Disease 
2019 
(COVID-19); and 
(2) reimbursement of costs for such eligible ac-
tivities relating to preventing, preparing for, or re-
sponding to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) 
that were accrued before the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
(c) INAPPLICABILITY OF PUBLIC SERVICES CAP.— 
The limitation under paragraph (8) of section 105(a) of 
the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 
(42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(8)) on the amount that may be used 
for activities under such paragraph shall not apply with 
respect to— 
(1) amounts made available pursuant to sub-
section (a); and 
(2) amounts made available in preceding appro-
priation Acts for fiscal years 2019 and 2020 for car-
rying out title I of the Housing and Community De-
velopment Act of 1974, to the extent such amounts 
are used for activities described in subsection (b) of 
this section. 
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(d) WAIVERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may waive, or 
specify alternative requirements for, any provision of 
any statute or regulation that the Secretary admin-
isters in connection with the use of amounts made 
available pursuant to subsection (a)(1) and for fiscal 
years 2019 and 2020 (except for requirements re-
lated to fair housing, nondiscrimination, labor stand-
ards, and the environment), if the Secretary finds 
that good cause exists for the waiver or alternative 
requirement and such waiver or alternative require-
ment would not be inconsistent with the overall pur-
pose of title I of the Housing and Community Devel-
opment Act of 1974, including for the purposes of 
addressing the impact of coronavirus. 
(2) NOTICE.—The Secretary shall notify the 
public through the Federal Register or other appro-
priate means 5 days before the effective date of any 
such waiver or alternative requirement in order for 
such waiver or alternative requirement to take effect. 
Such public notice may be provided on the internet 
at the appropriate government website or through 
other electronic media, as determined by the Sec-
retary. 
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(e) STATEMENTS OF ACTIVITIES; COMPREHENSIVE 
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY STRATEGIES.— 
(1) INAPPLICABILITY OF REQUIREMENTS.—Sec-
tion 116(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5316(b); relating 
to submission of final statements of activities not 
later than August 16 of a given fiscal year) and any 
implementing regulations shall not apply to final 
statements submitted in accordance with paragraphs 
(2) and (3) of section 104 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
5304(a)) and comprehensive housing affordability 
strategies submitted in accordance with section 105 
of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Hous-
ing Act (42 U.S.C. 12705) for fiscal years 2019 and 
2020. 
(2) NEW
REQUIREMENTS.—Final statements 
and comprehensive housing affordability strategies 
shall instead be submitted not later than August 16, 
2021. 
(3) 
AMENDMENTS.—Notwithstanding 
sub-
sections (a)(2), (a)(3), and (c) of section 104 of the 
Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 
(42 U.S.C. 5304) and section 105 of the Cranston- 
Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 
U.S.C. 12705), a grantee may not be required to 
amend its statement of activities in order to engage 
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in activities to prevent, prepare, and respond to 
coronavirus or the economic and housing disruption 
caused by it, but shall make public a report within 
180 days of the end of the crisis which fully ac-
counts for such activities. 
(f) PUBLIC HEARINGS.— 
(1) INAPPLICABILITY OF IN-PERSON HEARING 
REQUIREMENTS.—A grantee may not be required to 
hold in-person public hearings in connection with its 
citizen participation plan, but shall provide citizens 
with notice and a reasonable opportunity to com-
ment of not less than 15 days. 
(2) VIRTUAL PUBLIC HEARINGS.—During the 
period that national or local health authorities rec-
ommend social distancing and limiting public gath-
erings for public health reasons, a grantee may ful-
fill applicable public hearing requirements for all 
grants from funds made available pursuant to sub-
section (a)(1) and under the heading ‘‘Department 
of Housing and Urban Development—Community 
Planning and Development—Community Develop-
ment Fund’’ in appropriation Acts for fiscal years 
2019 and 2020 by carrying out virtual public hear-
ings. Any such virtual hearings shall provide reason-
able notification and access for citizens in accord-
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ance with the grantee’s certifications, timely re-
sponses from local officials to all citizen questions 
and issues, and public access to all questions and re-
sponses. 
(g) DUPLICATION
OF BENEFITS.—The Secretary 
shall ensure there are adequate procedures in place to pre-
vent any duplication of benefits as defined by section 312 
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5155) and act in accordance 
with section 1210 of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act 
of 2018 (division D of Public Law 115–254; 132 Stat. 
3442) and section 312 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5155). 
Æ 
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