Health Force, Resilience Force, and Jobs To Fight COVID–19 Act of 2021
Bill: S.32 | Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. (D-NY)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Health Force, Resilience Force, and Jobs to Fight COVID-19 Act of 2021
This bill establishes and expands programs to bring on individuals to perform public health functions, such as contact tracing and vaccine administration, to respond to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency and meet future public health needs.
The bill provides funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish a Health Force. The funds are designated as an emergency requirement, which exempts the funds from discretionary spending limits and other budget enforcement rules. To establish the force, the CDC must award grants within 30 days to state, tribal, territorial, and local governments and community health centers to recruit and train individuals for roles in public health and health care.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) must hire and train additional individuals for its Cadre of On-Call Response/Recovery Employees. These employees may be detailed to certain federal agencies or to state, local, or tribal governments to support response efforts related to COVID-19 or other disasters or emergencies.

To provide for the establishment of a standing Health Force and a 
   Resilience Force to respond to public health emergencies and meet 
                          public health needs.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Health Force, Resilience Force, and 
Jobs To Fight COVID-19 Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. HEALTH FORCE.

    (a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of the Health Force established 
under this section to recruit, train, and employ a standing workforce 
of Americans to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in their communities, 
provide capacity for ongoing and future public health care needs, and 
build skills for new workers to enter the public health and health care 
workforce.
    (b) Establishment.--The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
through its State, local, territorial, and Tribal partners, shall 
establish a standing Health Force (referred to in this section as the 
``Force'') composed of community members dedicated to preventing and 
responding to public health crises and emergencies, including those 
declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under section 
319 of the Public Health Service Act, including the COVID-19 emergency, 
and providing increased capacity to address ongoing and future public 
and community health needs.
    (c) Organization and Administration.--The Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention shall--
            (1) award grants, contracts, or enter into cooperative 
        agreements for the recruitment, hiring, training, managing, 
        administration, and organization of the Force to States, 
        localities, territories, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, 
        urban Indian health organizations, health service providers to 
        Tribes, Native Hawaiian health organizations, community health 
        centers, or federally qualified health centers (referred to in 
        this section as ``Funded Entities'');
            (2) ensure that State, county, local health departments, 
        agencies, and community-based organizations, including 
        community health centers and clinics, receive funding from 
        Funded Entities or directly from the Centers for Disease 
        Control and Prevention for the recruitment, hiring, training, 
        managing, administration, and organization of the Force, as 
        appropriate;
            (3) provide assistance for expenses incurred by Funded 
        Entities prior to the awarding of a grant, contract, or 
        cooperative agreement under subparagraph (A) to facilitate the 
        implementation of the Force, including assistance for planning 
        and recruitment activities, as provided for in section 424 
        Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
        (42 U.S.C.5189b); and
            (4) award and obligate funds as soon as is practicable, and 
        where possible, not later than 30 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act.
    (d) Funding Allocations.--
            (1) In general.--Of the total amount of funds appropriated 
        under this section for a fiscal year--
                    (A) not less than 5 percent shall be awarded to 
                Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, urban Indian 
                health organizations, health service providers to 
                Tribes, or Native Hawaiian health organizations under 
                subsection (c)(1), of which 80 percent shall be awarded 
                in proportion to population size and 20 percent shall 
                be awarded based on the burden of disease and 
                disability;
                    (B) not less than 80 percent shall be awarded to 
                States and territories under subsection (c)(1), of 
                which--
                            (i) 60 percent shall be awarded in 
                        proportion to population size, 20 percent shall 
                        be awarded based on the number of jobs lost 
                        over the preceding 12 months in each State or 
                        territory as a proportion of all jobs lost 
                        nationally during that timeframe, and 20 
                        percent shall be awarded based on the burden of 
                        disease and disability;
                            (ii) not less than 40 percent shall be 
                        allocated for State health departments; and
                            (iii) not less than 40 percent shall be 
                        allocated for county and other local health 
                        departments within the State.
            (2) Supplement and not supplant.--Funds appropriated under 
        this section shall be used to supplement, not supplant any 
        existing funding for Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, urban 
        Indian health organizations, health service providers to 
        Tribes, Native Hawaiian health organizations, States, 
        territories, State health departments, county and other local 
        health departments.
    (e) Service.--
            (1) Minimum requirements.--The Force shall be composed of 
        eligible members selected by Funded Entities. At a minimum, 
        Funded Entities shall ensure that membership in the Force is 
        not restricted based on education or citizenship status. 
        Eligible individuals shall include those who are--
                    (A) at least 18 years of age; and
                    (B) authorized to work in the United States, 
                including an individual with Deferred Action for 
                Childhood Arrivals status (DACA) or Temporary Protected 
                Status (TPS) under section 244 of the Immigration and 
                Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a).
            (2) Recruitment.--With respect to the employment of Force 
        members, Funded Entities shall support recruitment efforts for 
        Force personnel who are from or reside in the locality in which 
        they will serve, including efforts to recruit Force members 
        among focal communities as described in subsection (h), as well 
        as dislocated workers, individuals with barriers to employment, 
        veterans, new entrants in the workforce, underemployed or 
        furloughed workers, graduates and students from Historically 
        Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and 
        Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions and historically 
        marginalized populations. As practicable, State labor offices 
        shall share information about Force opportunities with those 
        individuals applying for or receiving unemployment benefits.
            (3) Preference.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
        law, preference in the hiring of Force members shall be given 
        to individuals who are dislocated workers, individuals with 
        barriers to employment, veterans, new entrants in the 
        workforce, underemployed or furloughed workers, or community-
        based nonprofit or public health or health care professionals, 
        from focal communities as described in subsection (h), or 
        unemployed or underemployed individuals. First priority in such 
        hiring shall be given to individuals who are previous employees 
        of Funded Entities (or subawardees under paragraph (9)) who 
        were, within the 2020 or 2021 calendar year, furloughed, laid 
        off, subject to a reduction in force, placed or went on leave, 
        or have recall rights subject to collective bargaining 
        agreement or applicable personnel policies.
            (4) Placement.--To the extent feasible, as determined by 
        Funded Entities, members of the Force shall be recruited from 
        and serve in their home communities. Force members shall be 
        physically co-located within State, local, territorial, Tribal 
        health departments, or within other eligible organizations as 
        defined by subsection (c)(1). According to local needs, Force 
        members may be physically co-located with other local public 
        health, health care, and community-based organizations, 
        including community health centers and free and charitable 
        clinics, as determined appropriate by Funded Entities.
            (5) Training.--
                    (A) Contact tracing training.--
                            (i) In general.--The Director of the 
                        Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
                        (referred to in this section as ``Director'') 
                        shall continue to provide contact tracing 
                        guidance and resources on their public internet 
                        website, including contact tracing training 
                        plans, for Force members to successfully 
                        conduct contact tracing activities under 
                        subsection (f)(1). Funded Entities shall 
                        determine which Force members will be provided 
                        with contact tracing training to meet State, 
                        locality, territory, and Tribal public health 
                        needs.
                            (ii) Training by funded entities.--Funded 
                        Entities may provide contact tracing training 
                        using the guidance and resources described in 
                        clause (i) or other evidence-informed programs, 
                        including training programs carried out by the 
                        Association of State and Territorial Health 
                        Officials and by academic institutions.
                    (B) Additional training.--Not later than 90 days 
                after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director 
                shall identify and, as necessary, develop additional 
                evidence-informed training resource packages to provide 
                Force members the knowledge and skills necessary to 
                conduct the full complement of activities describe in 
                subsections (f) and (g). Funded Entities shall 
                determine which Force members will be provided with 
                additional training to meet State, locality, territory, 
                and Tribal public health needs.
                    (C) Specialized training.--In organizing the Force 
                under this section, the Director may elect to establish 
                divisions of Force members who receive specialized 
                comprehensive training, including divisions of Force 
                members who have met State licensure requirements, have 
                prior relevant experience, have supervisory skills, or 
                demonstrated aptitude.
                    (D) Training requirements.--The training programs 
                under this paragraph shall--
                            (i) be adaptable by Funded Entities to meet 
                        local needs;
                            (ii) be implemented as quickly as possible 
                        by either or both of the Centers for Disease 
                        Control and Prevention and Funded Entities, 
                        based on local needs and abilities;
                            (iii) be distance-based eLearning that can 
                        be accessed electronically, including by using 
                        a smartphone, with the goal of limiting 
                        opportunities for disease transmission while 
                        maximizing knowledge and skills acquisition and 
                        retention among Force trainees;
                            (iv) include refresher training at regular 
                        and frequent intervals as determined 
                        appropriate by the Director or Funded Entities;
                            (v) incorporate training components on 
                        personal safety, including staying safe around 
                        animals in the context of home visits, use of 
                        personal protective equipment, and health 
                        privacy and ethics; and
                            (vi) leverage existing training and 
                        certification programs approved by States, 
                        territories, Tribal Nations, and community 
                        health worker certifying bodies.
                    (E) Miscellaneous.--Where determined necessary, the 
                Director may--
                            (i) recommend training under this paragraph 
                        that includes face-to-face interaction;
                            (ii) collaborate with, including through 
                        grants or cooperative agreements, public 
                        universities, including nursing, medical, and 
                        veterinary schools, community colleges, or 
                        other career and technical education 
                        institutes, community health centers, federally 
                        qualified health centers, community health 
                        worker and community health representative 
                        training and certification programs, and other 
                        community-based organizations, federally 
                        recognized Minority Serving Institutions, as 
                        well as public health associations and State 
                        and local health departments, to develop and 
                        implement training under this subparagraph, 
                        particularly for skills that typically have 
                        licensure requirements; and
                            (iii) develop training and communications 
                        materials in multiple languages.
                    (F) Payment during training.--Force members shall 
                be paid for each hour spent in training, including 
                refresher training.
                    (G) Supporting public health career growth.--Funded 
                Entities shall support public health career development 
                and growth of Force members, including by--
                            (i) providing additional disaster relief 
                        employment and training activities 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) (A) and (C)) and services 
                        described in section 7(a)(1) of the Wagner-
                        Peyser Act (29 U.S.C. 49f(a)(1)), as 
                        appropriate;
                            (ii) providing opportunities for Force 
                        members to maintain employment, continuing 
                        education, and career advancement in health 
                        services or health promotion and advocacy 
                        roles, including community health worker roles, 
                        after the COVID-19 public health emergency has 
                        concluded, including by serving in roles 
                        described in subsection (g); and
                            (iii) assisting Force members in obtaining 
                        other public health employment directly with 
                        the Funded Entity or with a unit of State, 
                        territorial, Tribal, or local government after 
                        the COVID-19 public health emergency has 
                        concluded, including by paying the costs of not 
                        more than 10 percent of the total compensation 
                        provided by the eligible entity or unit of 
                        local government to such eligible individual 
                        for a period of not more than the first year in 
                        which the individual is so employed, if such 
                        employment is not otherwise subsidized under 
                        this or any other Act.
            (6) Force member compensation.--
                    (A) In general.--Members of the Force shall be 
                full-time employees paid directly by Funded Entities 
                (and subawardees under paragraph (9)) using funds 
                provided by the Centers for Disease Control and 
                Prevention under grants, contracts, or cooperative 
                agreements under this section.
                    (B) Compensation.--Notwithstanding any other 
                provision of law, for fiscal year 2021 and each fiscal 
                year thereafter, all Force members, including 
                supervisors, shall be paid a wage and fringe benefits 
                not less than the minimum wage and fringe benefits 
                established in accordance with chapter 67 of title 41, 
                United States Code (commonly known as the ``Service 
                Contract Act'').
                    (C) Authority.--With respect to subparagraph (B), 
                the Secretary of Labor, or the Secretary's authorized 
                representative, shall have the authority and functions 
                set forth in chapter 67 of title 41, United States 
                Code.
                    (D) Methodology.--With respect to subparagraph (B), 
                the Secretary of Labor, or the Secretary's authorized 
                representative, shall issue a nonstandard wage 
                determination, subject to periodic revision, 
                establishing minimum wages and fringe benefits for each 
                class of Force members in accordance with the 
                prevailing rates for those positions or, where a 
                collective-bargaining agreement is in effect, in 
                accordance with the rates provided for in the 
                agreement, including prospective wage and fringe 
                benefit increases provided under the agreement.
                    (E) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress 
                that Force member compensation shall include health, 
                retirement, and paid family and medical leave benefits.
            (7) Supervisory structures.--Members of the Force shall 
        receive ongoing supportive supervision from staff members of 
        Funded Entities (or subawardees under paragraph (9)), in 
        accordance with evidence-informed practices. Entities funded 
        under this section may choose the most appropriate supervisory 
        structure to use based on local needs, and may promote Force 
        members into supervisory roles. Such supervision may also be 
        provided by Disease Intervention Specialists. Funded Entities 
        may use funds awarded under grants, contacts, or cooperative 
        agreements under this section to pay for such supervisory staff 
        and structures in accordance with paragraph (6).
            (8) Supplies and equipment.--Members of the Force and their 
        supervisors shall receive all necessary supplies and equipment, 
        including personal protective equipment, through Funded 
        Entities, which may use funds awarded under grants, contracts, 
        or cooperative agreements under this section to pay for such 
        supplies and equipment.
            (9) Subawards.--As authorized by the Centers for Disease 
        Control and Prevention, Funded Entities shall make subawards to 
        local partners, including community health centers, labor 
        organizations, labor-management partnerships, and other 
        community-based and nonprofit organizations, in order to 
        facilitate Force member recruitment, training, management, 
        supervision, and retention as well as to facilitate Force 
        integration into existing public health, health care, and 
        community-based services in accordance with paragraph (6).
            (10) Service in public health emergency.--A Funded Entity 
        shall assign one or more Force members to respond to a public 
        health emergency in the area served by such entity. Such Force 
        members shall be under the supervision and management of the 
        involved State, locality, territory, Indian Tribe, Tribal 
        organization, urban Indian health organization, health service 
        providers to Tribes, Native Hawaiian health organization, 
        community health center, federally qualified health center, or 
        other local partner.
            (11) Service post emergency.--A Funded Entity may retain 
        Force members in accordance with paragraph (6) to continue to 
        work in the area served by the entity after a public health 
        emergency has ended in order to--
                    (A) prevent and respond to future public health 
                crises and emergencies; and
                    (B) respond to ongoing and future public health, 
                community health, and health care needs.
            (12) Limitation.--A Force member may not be assigned for 
        international deployment on behalf of the Health Force.
            (13) Funding.--All costs associated with the service and 
        functions of Force members under this section, including salary 
        and employment benefits described under paragraph (6), as well 
        as associated direct and indirect costs, shall be paid by the 
        Federal Government through grants, contracts, or cooperative 
        agreements to Funded Entities.
            (14) Nondisplacement.--Funded Entities (and subawardees 
        under paragraph (9)) shall not displace an employee, including 
        partial displacement such as a reduction in hours, wages, or 
        employment benefits, as a result of the use by such Funded 
        Entities (and subawardees).
    (f) Activities To Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic.--For the 
duration of the public health emergency declared by the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services under section 319 of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) on January 31, 2020, with respect to 
COVID-19, Force personnel shall be trained and employed to support a 
testing, contact tracing, containment, and mitigation strategy to 
combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Such activities shall align with State 
licensure, local regulations, scope of practice, and certification 
requirements and evidence-informed practices and include--
            (1) conducting contact tracing, including the 
        identification of cases of COVID-19 and their contacts in a 
        culturally competent, multilingual manner;
            (2) when available, supporting the administration of 
        diagnostic, serologic, or other COVID-19 tests and 
        vaccinations;
            (3) providing support that addresses social, economic, 
        behavioral, and preventive health needs, such as supportive 
        roles for care coordination, primary care, and palliative care, 
        as appropriate, for individuals affected by COVID-19, including 
        those individuals who are asked to voluntarily isolate or 
        quarantine; and
            (4) other activities as determined appropriate by Funded 
        Entities and in accordance with grant and cooperative agreement 
        scope and stipulations.
    (g) Activities Post-Emergency.--After the conclusion of the public 
health emergency declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) on 
January 31, 2020, with respect to COVID-19, Force personnel shall be 
trained and employed to perform public health recovery efforts, prevent 
and respond to future public health emergencies, and respond to ongoing 
and future public health and health care needs. Under this subsection, 
Force members shall carry out or assist with activities described in 
subsection (f), as well as any of the following activities, where 
aligned with State licensure requirements and evidence-informed 
practices:
            (1) Providing support services, including--
                    (A) expanding public health information sharing, 
                including by sharing public health messages with 
                community members and organizations;
                    (B) helping community members address social, 
                economic, behavioral health, and preventive health 
                needs using evidence-informed models and in accordance 
                with existing standards;
                    (C) sharing community-based information with State, 
                local, and Tribal health departments to inform and 
                improve health programming, especially for hard-to-
                reach communities; and
                    (D) promoting linkages to other Federal, State, and 
                local health and social programs.
            (2) Other activities determined appropriate by the 
        Director.
            (3) Other activities, including response to localized 
        public health emergencies, as determined appropriate by Funded 
        Entities and in accordance with grant and cooperative agreement 
        scope and stipulations.
    (h) Focal Communities.--Funded Entities shall dedicate a majority 
of Force members to addressing the needs of focal communities. To be 
designated as a focal community, a community shall at a minimum--
            (1) bear a disproportionate burden of disease;
            (2) be identified as a ``most vulnerable'' community 
        according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 
        Social Vulnerability Index;
            (3) be identified as a ``high poverty'' area, which 
        includes census tracts with poverty rates of 25 percent or 
        higher, as defined by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 
        Act;
            (4) be identified as a ``high unemployment'' area, which 
        includes census tracts with unemployment 150 percent or higher 
        than the national unemployment rate, as determined by the 
        Bureau of Labor Statistics based on the most recent data on the 
        total unemployed, the U-6 unemployment measure or similar 
        measure, available on the date of enactment of this Act; or
            (5) be designated as a Health Professional Shortage Area, 
        Medically Underserved Area, or Medically Underserved 
        Population.
    (i) Coordination and Collaboration.--
            (1) Facilitation.--
                    (A) In general.--The Director shall facilitate 
                coordination and collaboration between the Force and 
                other national public health service programs within 
                and external to the Department of Health and Human 
                Services, including the Public Health Service and 
                Medical Reserve Corps, as well as the Federal Emergency 
                Management Agency's Resilience Force.
                    (B) Advisory group.--Not later than 6 months after 
                the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall 
                convene a stakeholder advisory group comprised of--
                            (i) the leadership of national health 
                        service programs, including the Public Health 
                        Service Corps, Medical Response Corps, and FEMA 
                        CORE;
                            (ii) other relevant Federal offices and 
                        agencies, including the Department of Labor, 
                        Employment and Training Administration, Health 
                        Resources and Services Administration, Health 
                        and Human Services Office of the Assistant 
                        Secretary for Preparedness and Response, and 
                        Occupational Health and Safety Administration; 
                        and
                            (iii) leaders representing Funded Entities.
                Such advisory group shall meet on a yearly basis to 
                provide guidance for the programmatic success and 
                longevity of the Force. Such guidance shall be codified 
                in an annual report of recommendations and evidence-
                informed practices to be shared publicly.
            (2) States, localities, territories, indian tribes, tribal 
        organizations, urban indian health organizations, health 
        service providers to tribes, or native hawaiian health 
        organizations collaboration.--
                    (A) In general.--Funded Entities shall ensure 
                coordination and, as appropriate, collaboration between 
                the Force and local public health, and health care, and 
                community-based organizations, to ensure 
                complementarity and further strengthen the local public 
                health response.
                    (B) Local advisory group.--Not later than 3 months 
                after the date of enactment of this Act, an entity that 
                receives a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement 
                under this section shall convene a stakeholder advisory 
                group comprised of community leaders, health officials, 
                labor organizations, local advocates, individuals 
                directly impacted by COVID-19, and other key 
                stakeholders to meet on a regular, recurring basis to 
                provide formal guidance, including priority setting and 
                funding guidance, for the programmatic success and 
                longevity of the Force.
                    (C) State compacts.--In accordance with section 115 
                of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 
                (42 U.S.C. 5315), two or more States to enter into 
                agreements or compacts, for cooperative effort and 
                mutual assistance in support of community development 
                planning and programs carried out under this section as 
                such programs pertain to interstate areas and to 
                localities within such States, and to establish such 
                agencies, joint or otherwise, as such States determine 
                appropriate for making such agreements and compacts 
                effective.
    (j) Monitoring.--The Director shall develop a performance 
monitoring template for adaptation and use by Funded Entities under 
this section. Such template shall at a minimum require the reporting of 
the number of Force members hired, the role hired into, and the 
demographic characteristics of Force members. Such data shall be shared 
by entities receiving grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements 
under this section to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on 
a regular, recurring basis. Such data shall be made publicly available.
    (k) Learning and Adaptation.--The Director, in consultation with 
the Advisory Group and local advisory groups described in subsection 
(i), shall develop a learning and evaluation component of the Force to 
identify successful components of local activities conducted under this 
section that may be replicated, to identify opportunities for 
continuing education and career advancement for Force members, to 
evaluate the degree to which the Force created a pathway to longer-term 
public health and health care careers among Force members, and to 
identify how the Force impacted the health knowledge, behaviors, and 
outcomes of the community members served. Results of this learning 
shall be made publicly available.
    (l) Reporting.--Not later than 180 days after the end of each 
fiscal year, the Director shall submit to the Congress a report which 
shall contain--
            (1) a description of the progress made in accomplishing the 
        objectives of Force under this section;
            (2) a summary of the amount and expenditure of funds under 
        this section during the preceding fiscal year, including the 
        amount described by Funded Entity;
            (3) a description of the application of the funding formula 
        specified in subsection (d);
            (4) the number of individuals recruited, hired, and trained 
        for Force member positions under this section;
            (5) the number of Force members who transition to other 
        public health roles either within or external to the Funded 
        Entity using funds under this Act;
            (6) the number of Force members who were unemployed prior 
        to being hired;
            (7) the number of Force members who continue to be 
        employed--
                    (A) within 6 months and 1 year, respectively, of 
                hire; and
                    (B) within 6 months and 1 year, respectively, of 
                the conclusion of the COVID-19 public health crisis; 
                and
            (8) any information on the outcomes and impact of Health 
        Force on health and employment.
    (m) Financial Reporting.--Not later than 45 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, and every 60 days thereafter for the first 12 
months after such date of enactment, the Director shall submit to 
Congress a report describing awards made, funding obligated, and 
expenditures to date. Such report shall also provide details on the 
application of the funding formula specified in subsection (d), 
including the amount awarded to each Funded Entity.
    (n) Labor and Workplace-Related Guidance.--Not later than 14 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor, acting 
through the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and 
Health, shall provide guidance and technical assistance regarding how 
to provide individuals in contact tracing and pandemic response 
positions with healthy and safe working conditions.
    (o) Tribal Data Sovereignty.--The Director shall consult with 
Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations and coordinate with Tribal 
health organizations to ensure that any reporting process under this 
section honors and preserves the data sovereignty of individuals who 
are members of Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations (as such terms are 
defined in section 166 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 
(29 U.S.C. 3221)), including individuals who are members of Native 
Hawaiian organizations (as defined in such section 166), and urban 
Indian organizations.
    (p) Requirements for Transition Back to Unemployment 
Compensation.--As a condition of a State receiving funds under this 
section, the law of the State (as defined in section 205 of the 
Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 (26 U.S.C. 
3304 note) shall, in the case of an individual who is receiving 
unemployment compensation at the time the individual is hired as a 
Force member, provide for the following:
            (1) Such individual shall be eligible to resume receiving 
        unemployment compensation after leaving the Force if the 
        individual returns to unemployment.
            (2) The amount of the weekly benefit for such individual 
        shall be the greater of--
                    (A) the weekly benefit amount such individual was 
                receiving when such individual entered the program; or
                    (B) a weekly benefit amount that is determined 
                based on such individual's earnings from employment 
                under the Health Force program.
    (q) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated, 
        and there is appropriated, to carry out this section, 
        $40,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 and 2022, such 
        amounts to remain available until expended. Additional funding 
        beyond fiscal year 2022 for the continuation of the Health 
        Force shall be determined in such fiscal year based on 
        identified staffing needs. It is the intent of Congress that 
        the Health Force should be continuously implemented for a 
        duration of not less than 10 years (fiscal years 2021 through 
        2030) and continued thereafter to address health disparities 
        and defend against future public health crises.
            (2) Emergency.--The amounts appropriated under paragraph 
        (1) are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to 
        section 4(g) of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 
        U.S.C. 933(g)).
            (3) Designation in senate.--In the Senate, this section is 
        designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
        4112(a) of H. Con. Res. 71 (115th Congress), the concurrent 
        resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018.

SEC. 3. RESILIENCE FORCE.

    (a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of the Resilience Force established 
under this section to recruit, train, and augment the existing cadre of 
first responders at the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist 
in the immediate COVID-19 pandemic response, to provide a surge 
capacity to address other national emergencies, and to strengthen 
America's public health infrastructure.
    (b) In General.--For the period of fiscal years 2021 through 2023, 
the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall 
appoint, administer, and expedite the training of a 62,000 Cadre of On-
Call Response/Recovery Employees, under the Response and Recover 
Directorate (referred to in this section as a ``CORE employee'') under 
the Office of Response and Recovery, above the level of such employees 
in fiscal year 2020, to address the coronavirus public health emergency 
and other disasters and public emergencies, subject to appropriations.
    (c) Detail of Core Employees.--A CORE employee may be detailed, 
through mutual agreement, to any Federal agency or to a State, local, 
or Tribal Government to fulfill an assignment, consistent with the 
Stafford Act or ``emergency work'' as defined under section 206.225 of 
title 44, Code of Federal Regulations, including--
            (1) providing logistical support for the supply chain of 
        medical equipment and other goods involved in COVID-19 response 
        efforts;
            (2) supporting COVID-19 testing, tracing, vaccination, 
        vaccination education, and related surveillance activities;
            (3) providing nutritional assistance to vulnerable 
        populations; and
            (4) carrying out other disaster preparedness and response 
        functions for other emergencies and natural disasters, 
        including work to design, construct, repair, upgrade, and 
        fortify critical public health and health care infrastructure.
    (d) FEMA Responsibility.--The costs associated with detailing 
employees under subsection (c) shall be borne by the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency.
    (e) Requirement.--As soon as practicable, the Administrator of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency shall make public job announcements 
to fill the CORE employee positions authorized under subsection (b), 
which shall prioritize hiring from among the following groups of 
individuals in no particular rank order:
            (1) Unemployed veterans of the Armed Forces.
            (2) Individuals who live in a ``high unemployment'' area, 
        which includes census tracts with unemployment 150 percent or 
        higher than the national unemployment rate, as determined by 
        the Bureau of Labor Statistics based on the most recent data on 
        the total unemployed, the U-3 unemployment measure or similar 
        measure, available on the date of enactment of this Act.
            (3) Unemployed individuals who served in the AmeriCorps, 
        Peace Corps, or as United States Fulbright Scholars, 
        particularly those whose service terms ended as a result of the 
        coronavirus public health emergency.
            (4) Recent graduates of public health, medical, nursing, 
        social work or related health-services programs.
            (5) Members of communities who have experienced a 
        disproportionately high number of COVID-19 cases.
    (f) Hiring.--The Federal Emergency Management Agency shall hire 
employees under this section, pursuant to section 306(b)(1) of the 
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5149(b)(1)), and make use of existing statutory authorities that 
permit regional offices and site managers to advertise for and hire 
such employees.
    (g) Training.--The Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency may make appropriate adjustments to the standard 
training course curriculum for employees under this section to include 
on-site trainings at Federal Emergency Management Agency regional 
offices, virtual trainings, or trainings conducted by other Federal, 
State, local or Tribal agencies, or eligible institutions defined in 
subsection (i), including training described in section 2(e)(5).
    (h) Clarification.--For the purposes of employing individuals under 
this section--
            (1) no individual who is authorized to work in the United 
        States, including individuals with Deferred Action for 
        Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or Temporary Protected Status (TPS) 
        under section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
        U.S.C. 1254a), shall be disqualified for appointment under this 
        section because of citizenship or immigration status; and
            (2) no individual shall be disqualified for appointment 
        under this section because of bankruptcy or a poor credit 
        rating, determined by the Administrator of the Federal 
        Emergency Management Agency, to be the result of the 
        Coronavirus public health emergency.
    (i) Eligible Institution Defined.--In this Act ``eligible 
institution'' means a public 2-year institution of higher education, as 
defined under section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1001).
    (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency, $6,500,000,000, for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2023, not 
less than $1,500,000,000 of which shall be made available each such 
fiscal year for the administrative costs associated with carrying out 
this section.
                                 <all>