I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7649 
To establish an initiative for national testing, contact tracing, and pandemic 
response, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 16, 2020 
Mr. MORELLE (for himself, Mr. TAKANO, and Mrs. HAYES) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, 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 com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish an initiative for national testing, contact tracing, 
and pandemic response, 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. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Jobs to Fight COVID– 
19 Act of 2020’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
Except as otherwise explicitly provided, in this Act: 
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(1) 
COVID–19.—The 
term 
‘‘COVID–19’’ 
means the novel coronavirus disease of 2019 
(COVID–19). 
(2) 
HEALTH
PROFESSIONAL
SHORTAGE 
AREA.—The term ‘‘health professional shortage 
area’’ has the meaning given the term in section 
332(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
254e(a)). 
(3) 
MEDICALLY
UNDERSERVED
POPU-
LATIONS.—The term ‘‘medically underserved popu-
lation’’ has the meaning given the term in section 
330(b)(3) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 254b(b)(3)). 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Labor. 
(5) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ refers to each 
of the 50 States and the District of Columbia. 
(6) TERRITORY.—The term ‘‘territory’’ means 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American 
Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Is-
lands. 
(7) TRIBAL.—The term ‘‘Tribal’’, with respect 
to a health department, includes— 
(A) Indian Tribes that— 
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(i) are operating one or more health 
facilities pursuant to an agreement under 
the Indian Self-Determination and Edu-
cation Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5301 et 
seq.); or 
(ii) receive services from a facility op-
erated by the Indian Health Services; and 
(B) Tribal organizations and Native Ha-
waiian organizations, as such terms are defined 
in section 166 of the Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3221), and urban 
Indian organizations. 
SEC. 3. GRANTS TO SUPPORT PANDEMIC PUBLIC WORKS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Except as otherwise pro-
vided in this section or section 2, the terms in this 
section have the meanings given the terms in section 
3 of the Workforce Innovation 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.), 
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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
PANDEMIC
RE-
SPONSE POSITIONS.—The term ‘‘contact tracing and 
pandemic response positions’’ means employment re-
lated to— 
(A) contact tracing, surveillance, contain-
ment, and mitigation activities needed to imple-
ment the national system under section 6; 
(B) other activities necessary for pandemic 
response, including cleaning and mitigation ac-
tivities; and 
(C) activities necessary to respond to the 
economic impacts of COVID–19. 
(4) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means— 
(A) a State or territory; 
(B)(i) an Indian Tribe, Tribal organiza-
tion, Alaska Native entity, or Native Hawaiian 
organization as such terms are defined in sec-
tion 166 of the Workforce Innovation and Op-
portunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3221); or 
(ii) an Indian-controlled organization serv-
ing Indians as defined in such section 166; or 
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(C) a unit of local government, if an entity 
described in subparagraph (A) has not applied 
with respect to the area over which the unit has 
jurisdiction by the deadline required under sub-
section (b)(2)(B). 
(5) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘‘eligible 
individual’’ means an individual seeking or securing 
employment in a contact tracing or pandemic re-
sponse position and who is served by an eligible enti-
ty or community-based organization receiving fund-
ing under this section. 
(6) UNIT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT.—The term 
‘‘unit of local government’’ means any city, county, 
township, town, borough, parish, village, or other 
general purpose political subdivision of a State. 
(b) GRANTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of 
appropriations under subsection (l), the Secretary 
shall award a grant to each eligible entity that sub-
mits a complete application under subsection (c), to 
enable the eligible entity to— 
(A) as applicable, support the recruitment, 
placement, and training of, and provide employ-
ment to, eligible individuals seeking employment 
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in contact tracing and pandemic response posi-
tions; and 
(B) assist with the employment transition 
to new employment or education and training of 
individuals employed under this section in prep-
aration for and upon termination of such em-
ployment. 
(2) TIMELINE.— 
(A) DEADLINE FOR SECRETARY APPLICA-
TION
REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary shall 
issue application requirements under subsection 
(c) not later than 10 days after the date of en-
actment of this Act. 
(B) STATE AND TRIBAL APPLICATIONS.— 
The deadline for applications from eligible enti-
ties described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of 
subsection (a)(4) shall be the date that is 30 
days after the date the Secretary issues applica-
tion requirements under subparagraph (A). 
(C) APPLICATIONS
FOR
LOCAL
GOVERN-
MENTS SERVING AS ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—The 
deadline for applications for grants from eligible 
entities described in subsection (a)(4)(C) shall 
be the date that is 10 days after the date that 
applications are due under subparagraph (B). 
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(D) GRANT AWARDS.—The Secretary shall 
award a grant to an eligible entity under para-
graph (1) not later than 15 days after the date 
on which applications are due under subpara-
graph (C). 
(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, as applicable, 
support the recruitment, placement, and training of, 
and provide employment to, eligible individuals seek-
ing employment in contact tracing and pandemic re-
sponse positions; 
(2) how the activities described in paragraph 
(1) will support State efforts to address the demand 
for contact tracing and pandemic response positions 
with respect to— 
(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); and 
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(B) the number of eligible individuals that 
the State plans to recruit, train, and employ 
under the plans described in subparagraph (A); 
(3) the specific strategies for recruiting, place-
ment, and employment of eligible individuals from or 
residing within the communities in which they will 
work, including— 
(A) plans for the recruitment of eligible in-
dividuals to serve in contact tracing or pan-
demic response positions, including dislocated 
workers, individuals with barriers to employ-
ment, veterans, new entrants in the workforce, 
self-employed individuals who are unemployed 
as a result of COVID–19, or underemployed or 
furloughed workers, who are from or reside in 
or near the locality in which they will serve, and 
who, to the extent practicable— 
(i) have experience or a background in 
industry sectors and occupations such as 
public health, social services, customer 
service, case management, or occupations 
that require related qualifications, skills, or 
competencies, such as strong interpersonal 
and communication skills, needed for con-
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tact tracing or pandemic response posi-
tions; or 
(ii) seek to transition to public health 
and public health related occupations upon 
the conclusion of employment in contact 
tracing or pandemic response positions; 
and 
(B) how such strategies will take into ac-
count the diversity of such community, includ-
ing racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, linguistic, or 
geographic diversity; 
(4) the amount, timing, and mechanisms for 
distribution of funds provided to local units of gov-
ernment or through subgrants as described in sub-
section (d)(2)(A) or (e); 
(5) for eligible entities described in subpara-
graph (A) or (B) of subsection (a)(4), a description 
of how the eligible entity will ensure the equitable 
distribution of funds with respect to— 
(A) geography (such as urban and rural 
distribution); 
(B) medically underserved populations; 
(C) health professional shortage areas; and 
(D) the racial and ethnic diversity of the 
area; 
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(6) for eligible entities described in subsection 
(a)(4)(C), a description of how a grant to such eligi-
ble entity would serve the equitable distribution of 
funds as described in paragraph (5); and 
(7) how the eligible entity will collaborate with 
State boards and local boards, the unemployment 
compensation system of the State, and the employ-
ment service offices (providing services under the 
Wagner-Peyser Act (29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.)) of the 
State regarding the State reemployment services and 
eligibility assessment activities and the activities pro-
vided under this section. 
(d) GRANT DISTRIBUTION.— 
(1) FEDERAL DISTRIBUTION.— 
(A) USE OF FUNDS.— The Secretary shall 
use the funds appropriated to carry out this 
section as follows: 
(i) Subject to clause (ii), the Secretary 
shall distribute funds among eligible enti-
ties that submit a complete application 
under subsection (c) in accordance with a 
formula to be established by the Secretary 
that— 
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(I) provides a minimum level of 
funding to each eligible entity that 
submits a complete application; and 
(II) allocates additional funding 
as follows: 
(aa) The formula shall give 
first priority based on the num-
ber and proportion of contact 
tracing or pandemic response po-
sitions for which the eligible enti-
ty plans to recruit, place, train, 
and employ individuals as a part 
of the State strategy described in 
subsection (c)(2)(A). 
(bb) The formula shall give 
second highest priority to appli-
cations that will serve States, ter-
ritories, Indian Tribes, or Native 
Hawaiian populations that have 
the highest unemployment rates, 
as determined based on the most 
recent data available. 
(cc) The formula shall give 
third highest priority to appli-
cants proposing to serve popu-
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lations in one or more geographic 
regions with a high burden of 
COVID–19 based on data pro-
vided by the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, or other 
sources as determined by the 
Secretary. 
(dd) The formula shall give 
fourth highest priority to appli-
cants preparing for, or currently 
working to mitigate, a COVID– 
19 surge in a geographic region 
that does not yet have a high 
number of reported cases of 
COVID–19 based on data pro-
vided by the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, or other 
sources as determined by the 
Secretary. 
(ee) The formula shall give 
fifth highest priority to appli-
cants proposing to serve high 
numbers of low-income and unin-
sured 
populations, 
including 
medically 
underserved 
popu-
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lations, health professional short-
age areas, racial and ethnic mi-
norities, or geographically diverse 
areas, as determined by the Sec-
retary. 
(ii) Not more than 2 percent of the 
funding for administration of the grants 
and for providing technical assistance to 
recipients of funds under this section. 
(B) EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION.—If the ge-
ographic region served by one or more eligible 
entities overlaps, the Secretary shall distribute 
funds among such entities in such a manner 
that ensures equitable distribution with respect 
to the factors under subsection (c)(5). 
(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY USE OF FUNDS.—An eli-
gible entity described in subsection (a)(4)(A)— 
(A) shall, not later than 30 days after the 
date on which the entity receives grant funds 
under this section, use not less than 40 percent 
of grant funds to award subgrants to units of 
local government for the purpose of carrying 
out activities described in subsection (f); 
(B) may use not more than 5 percent of 
such funds to make subgrants to community- 
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based organizations in the service area to con-
duct outreach, to potential eligible individuals, 
as described in subsection (e); 
(C) in providing subgrants to units of local 
government 
under 
subparagraph 
(A) 
and 
awarding subgrants under subsection (e), shall 
ensure the equitable distribution with respect to 
the factors described in subsection (c)(5); and 
(D) may use not more than 10 percent of 
the funds awarded under this section for the 
administrative costs of carrying out the grant 
and for providing technical assistance to local 
units of government and community-based or-
ganizations. 
(e) OUTREACH
AND EDUCATION SUBGRANT AU-
THORIZATION AND APPLICATION PROCESS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity receiving a 
grant under this section may use a portion of such 
funds to award a subgrant to one or more commu-
nity-based 
organizations 
for 
the 
purposes 
of 
partnering with an eligible entity to conduct out-
reach and education activities to inform potentially 
eligible individuals about employment opportunities 
in contact tracing or pandemic response positions. 
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(2) APPLICATION.—A community-based organi-
zation desiring a subgrant under this subsection 
shall submit an application at such time and in such 
manner as the eligible entity may reasonably require, 
including— 
(A) a demonstration of the community- 
based organization’s established expertise and 
effectiveness in community outreach in the lo-
cality that such organization plans to serve; 
(B) a demonstration of the community- 
based organization’s expertise in providing em-
ployment or information to the locality in which 
such organization plans to serve; and 
(C) a description of the expertise of the 
community-based organization in utilizing cul-
turally competent and multilingual strategies in 
the provision of services. 
(f) ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.—An eligible entity receiv-
ing a grant, or a unit of local government receiving a 
subgrant from an eligible entity, under this section shall 
use such grant or subgrant funds— 
(1) to support the recruitment and placement of 
eligible individuals; 
(2) to employ eligible individuals in contact 
training or pandemic response positions; 
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(3) to support the training and employment 
transition as related to contact tracing or pandemic 
response positions; and 
(4) for the following activities: 
(A) Establishing or expanding training 
partnerships with— 
(i) community-based health providers, 
including community health centers and 
rural health clinics; 
(ii) labor organizations or joint labor 
management organizations; 
(iii) 2-year and 4-year institutions of 
higher education (as defined in section 101 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1001)), including institutions eligi-
ble to receive funds under section 371(a) 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1067q(a)); and 
(iv) community action agencies or 
other community-based organizations serv-
ing localities in which there is a demand 
for contact tracing or pandemic response 
positions. 
(B) Providing training for contact tracing 
or pandemic response positions in coordination 
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with State, local, Tribal, or territorial health 
departments that is consistent with the State or 
territorial testing and contact tracing strategy 
and ensuring that eligible individuals receive 
compensation while participating in such train-
ing. 
(C) Providing eligible individuals with— 
(i) adequate and safe equipment, envi-
ronments, and facilities for training and 
supervision, as applicable; 
(ii) supplies and equipment needed by 
the program participants to support place-
ment of an individual in contact tracing or 
pandemic response positions, as applicable; 
and 
(iii) services for the period during 
which the individual is employed in a con-
tact tracing or pandemic response position 
to ensure job retention, which may in-
clude— 
(I) supportive services through-
out the term of employment; or 
(II) a continuation of skills train-
ing as related to employment in a con-
tact tracing or pandemic response po-
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sition, that is conducted in collabora-
tion with the employers of such par-
ticipants. 
(5) Supporting the transition and placement in 
unsubsidized employment for eligible individuals 
serving in the contact tracing or pandemic response 
positions after such positions are no longer nec-
essary in the State or locality, which may include— 
(A) providing additional disaster relief em-
ployment and employment and training activi-
ties described in subparagraphs (A) and (C) of 
section 170(d)(1) of the Workforce Innovation 
and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3225(d)(1)) 
and services described in section 7(a)(1) of the 
Wagner-Peyser Act (29 U.S.C. 49f(a)(1)); 
(B) providing services to assist eligible in-
dividuals in maintaining employment for not 
less than 12 months after the completion of em-
ployment in contact tracing or pandemic re-
sponse positions, as appropriate; and 
(C) assisting eligible individuals in obtain-
ing other employment directly with the eligible 
entity, or with a unit of local government, after 
serving in a contact tracing or pandemic re-
sponse position supported under this section, by 
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