I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6687 
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act to provide assistance to individuals affected by a pandemic, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 1, 2020 
Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the 
Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act to provide assistance to individuals 
affected by a pandemic, 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 ‘‘Pandemic Disaster As-
sistance Act of 2020’’. 
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SEC. 2. ASSISTANCE FOR PANDEMICS. 
The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in section 102(1) (42 U.S.C. 5122(1)), by 
inserting ‘‘or pandemic’’ after ‘‘catastrophe’’; 
(2) in section 301 (42 U.S.C. 5141), by insert-
ing ‘‘or an emergency due to a pandemic’’ after 
‘‘major disaster’’ each place the term appears; 
(3) in section 408(e) (42 U.S.C. 5174(e)), by 
inserting ‘‘or an emergency due to a pandemic’’ 
after ‘‘major disaster’’ each place the term appears; 
(4) in section 410 (42 U.S.C. 5177)— 
(A) in subsection (a), by inserting ‘‘or an 
emergency due to a pandemic’’ after ‘‘major 
disaster’’ each place the term appears; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) ASSISTANCE DURING A PANDEMIC.—In the case 
of an emergency due to a pandemic— 
‘‘(1) assistance authorized under this section 
shall be made available to an individual regardless of 
whether the individual is entitled to any other unem-
ployment compensation (as that term is defined in 
section 85(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986); and 
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‘‘(2) the minimum weekly benefit shall be 1.5 
times the national average State unemployment com-
pensation weekly benefit for the previous year.’’; 
(5) in section 412 (42 U.S.C. 5179)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘or an emergency due to 
a pandemic’’ after ‘‘major disaster’’ each place 
the term appears; 
(B) in subsection (a) by inserting ‘‘without 
regard to regular allotments’’ after the ref-
erence to the Food and Nutrition Act; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) ASSISTANCE DURING A PANDEMIC.—In the case 
of an emergency due to a pandemic, for purposes of pro-
viding benefits under this section, the Secretary of Agri-
culture shall remove or delay the requirement of an in- 
person interview and if an interview occurs, provide an al-
ternative to the in-person interview requirement for all ap-
plicants. Assistance shall be provided based on need and 
not lost provisions.’’; and 
(6) in section 502(a) (42 U.S.C. 5192(a))— 
(A) in paragraph (7), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(B) in paragraph (8)(B), by striking the 
period at the end and inserting a semicolon; 
and 
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(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(9) provide unemployment assistance in ac-
cordance with section 410; and 
‘‘(10) provide assistance in accordance with sec-
tion 412.’’. 
SEC. 3. FUNDING. 
Provided that there are hereby appropriated to the 
Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of Labor such 
amounts as are necessary to carry out section 2(5) and 
section 2(4), respectively. Provided, that such amount is 
designated by the Congress as being for an emergency re-
quirement pursuant to Section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Bal-
anced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. 
Æ 
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