42 U.S.C. § 802 (THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE)
§ 802. Coronavirus State fiscal recovery fund
(a) Appropriation
In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated for fiscal year 2021, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated—
(1) $219,800,000,000, to remain available through December 31, 2024, for making payments under this section to States, territories, and Tribal governments to mitigate the fiscal effects stemming from the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID–19); and
(2) $50,000,000, to remain available until expended, for the costs of the Secretary for administration of the funds established under this subchapter.
(b) Authority to make payments
(1) Payments to territories
(A) In general
The Secretary shall reserve $4,500,000,000 of the amount appropriated under subsection (a)(1) to make payments to the territories.
(B) Allocation
Of the amount reserved under subparagraph (A)—
(i) 50 percent of such amount shall be allocated by the Secretary equally to each territory; and
(ii) 50 percent of such amount shall be allocated by the Secretary as an additional amount to each territory in an amount which bears the same proportion to ½ of the total amount reserved under subparagraph (A) as the population of the territory bears to the total population of all such territories.
(C) Payment
The Secretary shall pay each territory the total of the amounts allocated for the territory under subparagraph (B) in accordance with paragraph (6).
(2) Payments to Tribal governments
(A) In general
The Secretary shall reserve $20,000,000,000 of the amount appropriated under subsection (a)(1) to make payments to Tribal governments.
(B) Allocation
Of the amount reserved under subparagraph (A)—
(i) $1,000,000,000 shall be allocated by the Secretary equally among each of the Tribal governments; and
(ii) $19,000,000,000 shall be allocated by the Secretary to the Tribal governments in a manner determined by the Secretary.
(C) Payment
The Secretary shall pay each Tribal government the total of the amounts allocated for the Tribal government under subparagraph (B) in accordance with paragraph (6).
(3) Payments to each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia
(A) In general
The Secretary shall reserve $195,300,000,000 of the amount appropriated under subsection (a)(1) to make payments to each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia.
(B) Allocations
Of the amount reserved under subparagraph (A)—
(i) $25,500,000,000 of such amount shall be allocated by the Secretary equally among each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia;
(ii) an amount equal to $1,250,000,000 less the amount allocated for the District of Columbia pursuant to section 801(c)(6) of this title shall be allocated by the Secretary as an additional amount to the District of Columbia; and
(iii) an amount equal to the remainder of the amount reserved under subparagraph (A) after the application of clauses (i) and (ii) of this subparagraph shall be allocated by the Secretary as an additional amount to each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia in an amount which bears the same proportion to such remainder as the average estimated number of seasonally-adjusted unemployed individuals (as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics program) in the State or District of Columbia over the 3-month period ending with December 2020 bears to the average estimated number of seasonally-adjusted unemployed individuals in all of the 50 States and the District of Columbia over the same period.
(C) Payment
(i) In general
Subject to clause (ii), the Secretary shall pay each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia, from the amount reserved under subparagraph (A), the total of the amounts allocated for the State and District of Columbia under subparagraph (B) in accordance with paragraph (6).
(ii) Minimum payment requirement
(I) In general
The sum of—
(aa) the total amounts allocated for 1 of the 50 States or the District of Columbia under subparagraph (B) (as determined without regard to this clause); and
(bb) the amounts allocated under section 803 of this title to the State (for distribution by the State to nonentitlement units of local government in the State) and to metropolitan cities and counties in the State;
shall not be less than the amount allocated to the State or District of Columbia for fiscal year 2020 under section 801 of this title, including any amount paid directly to a unit of local government in the State under such section.
(II) Pro rata adjustment
The Secretary shall adjust on a pro rata basis the amount of the allocations for each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia determined under subparagraph (B)(iii) (without regard to this clause) to the extent necessary to comply with the requirement of subclause (I).
(4) Pro rata adjustment authority
The amounts otherwise determined for allocation and payment under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) may be adjusted by the Secretary on a pro rata basis to the extent necessary to ensure that all available funds are allocated to States, territories, and Tribal governments in accordance with the requirements specified in each such paragraph (as applicable).
(5) Population data
For purposes of determining allocations for a territory under this section, the population of the territory shall be determined based on the most recent data available from the Bureau of the Census.
(6) Timing
(A) States and territories
(i) In general
To the extent practicable, subject to clause (ii), with respect to each State and territory allocated a payment under this subsection, the Secretary shall make the payment required for the State or territory not later than 60 days after the date on which the certification required under subsection (d)(1) is provided to the Secretary.
(ii) Authority to split payment
(I) In general
The Secretary shall have the authority to withhold payment of up to 50 percent of the amount allocated to each State and territory (other than payment of the amount allocated under paragraph (3)(B)(ii) to the District of Columbia) for a period of up to 12 months from the date on which the State or territory provides the certification required under subsection (d)(1). The Secretary shall exercise such authority with respect to a State or territory based on the unemployment rate in the State or territory as of such date.
(II) Payment of withheld amount
Before paying to a State or territory the remainder of an amount allocated to the State or territory (subject to subclause (III)) that has been withheld by the Secretary under subclause (I), the Secretary shall require the State or territory to submit a second certification under subsection (d)(1), in addition to such other information as the Secretary may require.
(III) Recovery of amounts subject to recoupment
If a State or territory is required under subsection (e) to repay funds for failing to comply with subsection (c), the Secretary may reduce the amount otherwise payable to the State or territory under subclause (II) by the amount that the State or territory would otherwise be required to repay under such subsection (e).
(B) Tribal governments
To the extent practicable, with respect to each Tribal government for which an amount is allocated under this subsection, the Secretary shall make the payment required for the Tribal government not later than 60 days after March 11, 2021.
(C) Initial payment to District of Columbia
The Secretary shall pay the amount allocated under paragraph (3)(B)(ii) to the District of Columbia not later than 15 days after March 11, 2021.
(c) Requirements
(1) Use of funds
Subject to paragraph (2), and except as provided in paragraph (3), a State, territory, or Tribal government shall only use the funds provided under a payment made under this section, or transferred pursuant to section 803(c)(4) of this title, to cover costs incurred by the State, territory, or Tribal government, by December 31, 2024—
(A) to respond to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19) or its negative economic impacts, including assistance to households, small businesses, and nonprofits, or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel, and hospitality;
(B) to respond to workers performing essential work during the COVID–19 public health emergency by providing premium pay to eligible workers of the State, territory, or Tribal government that are performing such essential work, or by providing grants to eligible employers that have eligible workers who perform essential work;
(C) for the provision of government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue of such State, territory, or Tribal government due to the COVID–19 public health emergency relative to revenues collected in the most recent full fiscal year of the State, territory, or Tribal government prior to the emergency; or
(D) to make necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure.
(2) Further restriction on use of funds
(A) In general
A State or territory shall not use the funds provided under this section or transferred pursuant to section 803(c)(4) of this title to either directly or indirectly offset a reduction in the net tax revenue of such State or territory resulting from a change in law, regulation, or administrative interpretation during the covered period that reduces any tax (by providing for a reduction in a rate, a rebate, a deduction, a credit, or otherwise) or delays the imposition of any tax or tax increase.
(B) Pension funds
No State or territory may use funds made available under this section for deposit into any pension fund.
(3) Transfer authority
A State, territory, or Tribal government receiving a payment from funds made available under this section may transfer funds to a private nonprofit organization (as that term is defined in section 11360(17) 1 of this title), a Tribal organization (as that term is defined in section 5304 of title 25), a public benefit corporation involved in the transportation of passengers or cargo, or a special-purpose unit of State or local government.
(d) Certifications and reports
(1) In general
In order for a State or territory to receive a payment under this section, or a transfer of funds under section 803(c)(4) of this title, the State or territory shall provide the Secretary with a certification, signed by an authorized officer of such State or territory, that such State or territory requires the payment or transfer to carry out the activities specified in subsection (c) of this section and will use any payment under this section, or transfer of funds under section 803(c)(4) of this title, in compliance with subsection (c) of this section.
(2) Reporting
Any State, territory, or Tribal government receiving a payment under this section shall provide to the Secretary periodic reports providing a detailed accounting of—
(A) the uses of funds by such State, territory, or Tribal government, including, in the case of a State or a territory, all modifications to the State’s or territory’s tax revenue sources during the covered period; and
(B) such other information as the Secretary may require for the administration of this section.
(e) Recoupment
Any State, territory, or Tribal government that has failed to comply with subsection (c) shall be required to repay to the Secretary an amount equal to the amount of funds used in violation of such subsection, provided that, in the case of a violation of subsection (c)(2)(A), the amount the State or territory shall be required to repay shall be lesser of—
(1) the amount of the applicable reduction to net tax revenue attributable to such violation; and
(2) the amount of funds received by such State or territory pursuant to a payment made under this section or a transfer made under section 803(c)(4) of this title.
(f) Regulations
The Secretary shall have the authority to issue such regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out this section.
(g) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Covered period
The term “covered period” means, with respect to a State, territory, or Tribal government, the period that—
(A) begins on March 3, 2021; and
(B) ends on the last day of the fiscal year of such State, territory, or Tribal government in which all funds received by the State, territory, or Tribal government from a payment made under this section or a transfer made under section 803(c)(4) of this title have been expended or returned to, or recovered by, the Secretary.
(2) Eligible workers
The term “eligible workers” means those workers needed to maintain continuity of operations of essential critical infrastructure sectors and additional sectors as each Governor of a State or territory, or each Tribal government, may designate as critical to protect the health and well-being of the residents of their State, territory, or Tribal government.
(3) Premium pay
The term “premium pay” means an amount of up to $13 per hour that is paid to an eligible worker, in addition to wages or remuneration the eligible worker otherwise receives, for all work performed by the eligible worker during the COVID–19 public health emergency. Such amount may not exceed $25,000 with respect to any single eligible worker.
(4) Secretary
The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Treasury.
(5) State
The term “State” means each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia.
(6) Territory
The term “territory” means the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa.
(7) Tribal Government
The term “Tribal Government” means the recognized governing body of any Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, community, component band, or component reservation, individually identified (including parenthetically) in the list published most recently as of March 11, 2021 pursuant to section 5131 of title 25.
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title VI, § 602, as added Pub. L. 117–2, title IX, § 9901(a), Mar. 11, 2021, 135 Stat. 223.)
heading: Editorial Notes
heading: References in Text
text: Section 11360(17) of this title, referred to in subsec. (c)(3), no longer defines the term “private nonprofit organization”. However, the term is defined elsewhere in that section.
heading: Prior Provisions
text: A prior section 802, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title VI, § 602, as added Oct. 30, 1972, Pub. L. 92–603, title III, § 302, 86 Stat. 1479, which set out the necessary provisions for State plans for services to the aged, blind, or disabled, was repealed by Pub. L. 93–647, §§ 3(b), 7(b), Jan. 4, 1975, 88 Stat. 2349, 2351.
Another prior section 802, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title VI, § 602, 49 Stat. 634, which provided for allotments to States by Surgeon General, was repealed by act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title XIII, § 1313, formerly title VI, § 611, 58 Stat. 719. See section 246 of this title.