Title: Health Force and Resilience Force Act of 2020
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Health Force and Resilience Force Act of 2020
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 other public health needs after that emergency ends.
The bill provides funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish a Health Force to recruit and train individuals for roles in public health and health care. The funds are designated as an emergency requirement, which exempts the funds from discretionary spending limits and other budget enforcement rules. Among other activities, the CDC must award grants to, or enter into contracts with, states and other jurisdictions to hire and deploy Health Force personnel.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency 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 efforts with respect to COVID-19 and other disasters and emergencies.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3606 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3606

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 5, 2020

 Mrs. Gillibrand (for herself, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Markey, Mr. Van Hollen, 
  Mr. Booker, Ms. Duckworth, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Reed, Ms. Rosen, Ms. 
 Smith, Ms. Harris, and Mr. Blumenthal) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To provide for the establishment of a 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 and Resilience Force 
Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. HEALTH FORCE.

    (a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of the Health Force established 
under this section to recruit, train, and employ 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.--There shall be established within the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention a Health Force (referred to in this 
section as the ``Force'') composed of community members dedicated to 
responding to public health emergencies as 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 health needs.
    (c) Organization and Administration.--
            (1) In general.--The Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention shall--
                    (A) award grants, contracts, or enter into 
                cooperative agreements for the recruitment, hiring, 
                managing, administration, and organization of the Force 
                to States, localities, territories, Indian Tribes, 
                Tribal organizations, urban Indian health 
                organizations, or health service providers to Tribes 
                through the Public Health Emergency Preparedness and 
                Public Health Crisis Response programs implemented 
                through such Centers; and
                    (B) provide assistance for expenses incurred by 
                States, localities, territories, Indian Tribes, Tribal 
                organizations, urban Indian health organizations, or 
                health service providers to Tribes 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 
                of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
                Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5189b).
            (2) Duties of the director.--The Director of the Centers 
        for Disease Control and Prevention (referred to in this section 
        as the ``Director'') shall--
                    (A) identify training resource packages to be 
                utilized by the Force and develop new training resource 
                packages, as needed, including by--
                            (i) collaborating with other Federal 
                        agencies, including the Health Resources and 
                        Services Administration; and
                            (ii) collaborating with Centers for Disease 
                        Control and Prevention implementing partners, 
                        including public health, health care, and 
                        community-based organizational partners, to 
                        identify and develop such training resource 
                        packages; and
                    (B) carry out any other activities determined 
                appropriate by the Director to carry out this section.
    (d) Service.--
            (1) Minimum requirements.--
                    (A) In general.--The Force shall be composed of 
                eligible members selected pursuant to guidelines 
                developed by the Director in consultation with States, 
                localities, territories, Indian Tribes, Tribal 
                organizations, urban Indian health organizations, or 
                health service providers to Tribes funded entities. At 
                a minimum such guidelines shall ensure that a member of 
                the Force--
                            (i) is at least 18 years of age; and
                            (ii) has a high school diploma or 
                        equivalent or has successfully completed an 
                        employment literacy test.
                    (B) Other eligible individuals.--
                            (i) Citizenship or immigration status.--An 
                        individual who is authorized to work in the 
                        United States, including an individual 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 not be disqualified 
                        for appointment under this section as a member 
                        of the Force because of citizenship or 
                        immigration status.
                            (ii) Bankruptcy.--An individual shall not 
                        be disqualified for appointment under this 
                        section as a member of the Force because of the 
                        bankruptcy or poor credit rating of such 
                        individual determined to be the result of the 
                        coronavirus public health emergency.
            (2) Recruitment.--
                    (A) In general.--The guidelines developed under 
                paragraph (1) shall provide for Force recruitment 
                information to be distributed at the national level 
                through all available channels and partnerships as 
                practicable. Such guidelines shall also, as 
                practicable, require that all graduating high school 
                seniors be made aware of Force employment opportunities 
                while in their senior year, and every 2 years 
                thereafter, unless they opt out of receiving 
                notifications or have joined the Force. As practicable, 
                Federal and State Departments of Labor shall share 
                information about Force opportunities with those 
                individuals applying for or receiving unemployment 
                benefits.
                    (B) Recruitment by state, locality, territory, 
                indian tribes, tribal organizations, urban indian 
                health organizations, or health service providers to 
                tribes funded entities.--With respect to the employment 
                of Force members in States, localities, territories, 
                Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, urban Indian 
                health organizations, or health service providers to 
                Tribes funded entities, such areas and entities shall 
                support extensive recruitment efforts for Force 
                personnel, including efforts to recruit Force members 
                among focal communities as described in subsection (g), 
                as well as low-income, minority, and historically 
                marginalized populations.
            (3) Preference.--Preference in the hiring of Force members 
        shall be given to individuals who are veterans, unemployed or 
        underemployed, recently furloughed community-based nonprofit, 
        public health or health care professionals, or from focal 
        communities as described in subsection (g).
            (4) Training.--
                    (A) Initial training.--
                            (i) In general.--Not later than 14 days 
                        after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
                        Director shall identify an evidence-informed 
                        training program for Force members in 
                        accordance with this paragraph. Such initial 
                        training program shall focus on building public 
                        health surveillance knowledge and skills, 
                        particularly contact tracing knowledge and 
                        skills, to address training requirements for 
                        Force members to successfully conduct contact 
                        tracing activities under subsection (e)(1). 
                        States, localities, territories, Indian Tribes, 
                        Tribal organizations, urban Indian health 
                        organizations, or health service providers to 
                        Tribes shall determine which Force recruits 
                        will be provided with initial training to meet 
                        State, locality, territory, and Tribal public 
                        health needs.
                            (ii) Requirements.--The initial training 
                        program under this subparagraph shall--
                                    (I) be adaptable by State, 
                                locality, territorial, Indian Tribe, 
                                Tribal organization, urban Indian 
                                health organization, or health service 
                                providers to Tribes 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 State, locality, 
                                territorial, Indian Tribe, Tribal 
                                organization, urban Indian health 
                                organization, or health service 
                                providers to Tribes funded entities, 
                                based on local needs and abilities;
                                    (III) be distance-based eLearning 
                                that can be accessed with 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;
                                    (V) include training components on 
                                personal safety, including staying safe 
                                around animals in home- and community-
                                based settings, use of personal 
                                protective equipment, and health 
                                privacy and ethics;
                                    (VI) include standardized testing 
                                to measure knowledge and skills 
                                acquisition and retention; and
                                    (VII) use individual results of 
                                such standardized testing to ensure 
                                that only successfully trained 
                                individuals are maintained as Force 
                                members.
                    (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 (e) and (f). States, localities, 
                territories, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, urban 
                Indian health organizations, or health service 
                providers to Tribes shall determine which Force members 
                will be provided with additional training to meet 
                State, locality, territory, and Tribal public health 
                needs.
                    (C) Miscellaneous.--Where determined necessary, the 
                Director may--
                            (i) recommend training under this 
                        subparagraph that includes face-to-face 
                        interaction;
                            (ii) collaborate with public universities, 
                        including nursing, medical, and veterinary 
                        schools, community colleges, or other career 
                        and technical education institutes, community 
                        health centers 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.
                    (D) Timing.--The training provided under 
                subparagraph (A)(i) shall be designed to be completed 
                by Force members within 14 days of the start of such 
                training. The training programs under subparagraph (B) 
                shall be made available where necessary to ensure that 
                Force members are fully trained as soon as possible 
                after commencing such training.
                    (E) 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, or have supervisory skills 
                or demonstrated aptitude.
                    (F) Payment during training.--Individuals shall be 
                paid for each hour spent in training (including 
                refresher training) under this paragraph at a rate of 
                not less than $15 per hour (to be increased each year 
                based on increases in the Consumer Price Index for such 
                year).
            (5) Salary and benefits.--
                    (A) In general.--Members of the Force shall be paid 
                directly by State, locality, territorial, Indian Tribe, 
                Tribal organization, urban Indian health organization, 
                or health service providers to Tribes funded entities 
                and sub-partners using funds provided by the Centers 
                for Disease Control and Prevention under grants, 
                contracts, or cooperative agreements under this 
                section. All Force positions shall be salaried with 
                health and retirement benefits, including paid family 
                leave. Payment of salaries and benefits shall be in 
                accordance with the policies of the State or unit of 
                local government involved and have the approval of the 
                State or the Centers for Disease Control and 
                Prevention, as applicable.
                    (B) Overtime pay.--The entire amount of overtime 
                costs, including payments related to backfilling 
                personnel, that are the direct result of time spent on 
                the design, development and conduct of Force activities 
                are allowable expenses under this section. Such costs 
                shall be allowed only to the extent that payment for 
                such services is in accordance with the policies of the 
                State or unit of local government involved and have the 
                approval of the State or the Centers for Disease 
                Control and Prevention, as applicable. Dual 
                compensation under this paragraph shall be prohibited.
            (6) Placement.--To the extent feasible, as determined by 
        State, locality, territorial, Indian Tribe, Tribal 
        organization, urban Indian health organization, or health 
        service providers to Tribes funded entities, members of the 
        Force shall be recruited from and serve in their home 
        communities. Force members may be physically co-located with 
        local public health, health care, and community-based 
        organizations, including community health centers, as 
        determined appropriate by funded entities.
            (7) Supervisory structures.--Members of the Force shall 
        receive ongoing supportive supervision from staff members of 
        State, locality, territorial, Indian Tribe, Tribal 
        organization, urban Indian health organization, or health 
        service providers to Tribes funded entities or their sub-
        partners, as described in paragraph (9). 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 be also be 
        provided by Disease Intervention Specialists. The Centers for 
        Disease Control and Prevention shall provide or direct their 
        implementing partners to provide, technical assistance and 
        training opportunities to such funded entities to strengthen 
        supportive supervision skills and practices.
            (8) Supplies and equipment.--Members of the Force and their 
        supervisors shall receive all necessary supplies and equipment, 
        including personal protective equipment, through State, 
        locality, territorial, Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, urban 
        Indian health organization, or health service providers to 
        Tribes 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, State, locality, territorial, Indian 
        Tribe, Tribal organization, urban Indian health organization, 
        or health service providers to Tribes funded entities may make 
        subawards to local partners, including community health centers 
        and other community-based and nonprofit organizations, in order 
        to facilitate Force member recruitment, management, 
        supervision, management, and retention as well as to facilitate 
        Force integration into existing public health, health care, and 
        community-based services.
            (10) Service in public health emergency.--A State, 
        locality, territory, Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, urban 
        Indian health organization, or health service providers to 
        Tribes receiving funding under a grant, contract, or 
        cooperative agreement this section 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 State, locality, 
        territory, Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, urban Indian 
        health organization, or health service providers to Tribes 
        involved.
            (11) Service post emergency.--A State, locality, territory, 
        Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, urban Indian health 
        organization, or health service providers to Tribes may retain 
        one or more Force members 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 
                emergencies; and
                    (B) respond to ongoing and future public 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 as well as associated direct and 
        indirect costs, shall be paid by the Federal Government through 
        grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to States, 
        localities, territories, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, 
        urban Indian health organizations, or health service providers 
        to Tribes.
    (e) Activities To Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic.--The Force 
shall provide for the training and employment of Force personnel to 
address the COVID-19 pandemic, including by conducting or assisting 
with the following activities, where such activities are aligned with 
State licensure requirements:
            (1) Conducting COVID-19 related contact tracing.
            (2) When available, supporting the administration of 
        diagnostic, serologic, or other COVID-19 tests.
            (3) As appropriate based on State licensing requirements, 
        supporting the provision of palliative care, including by 
        providing support to palliative care teams for seriously ill 
        patients.
            (4) When available, supporting the provision of COVID-19 
        vaccinations, flu vaccinations, and recommended vaccinations 
        for individuals who have missed vaccinations because of the 
        pandemic.
            (5) Sharing COVID-19 public health messages with community 
        members, including debunking myths and misperceptions, and 
        building health literacy.
            (6) Providing data collection and entry or other 
        administrative duties in support of epidemic surveillance and 
        to meet broader health information system requirements.
            (7) Providing community-based and direct-care services, 
        including food and medical supply delivery.
            (8) Providing coordination or case management of public 
        health and human services needs related to COVID-19.
            (9) Carrying out any other activities, including those 
        described in subsection (f), as determined appropriate by the 
        Director.
            (10) Carrying out any other activities, including those 
        described in subsection (f), as determined appropriate by 
        State, locality, territory, Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, 
        urban Indian health organization, or health service providers 
        to Tribes funding recipients, in accordance with grant, 
        contract, and cooperative agreement scope and stipulations.
    (f) Activities Post-Emergency.--After the COVID-19 emergency 
concludes, the Force shall provide for the training and employment of 
Force personnel to 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 (e) as well as any of 
the following activities, where aligned with State licensure 
requirements:
            (1) Sharing public health messages with community members.
            (2) Providing home-based check-ins for new mothers and 
        infants.
            (3) Providing vaccination schedule reminders, especially 
        for parents and legal guardians of children under the age of 6.
            (4) Providing services to help community members navigate 
        medical, behavioral health, well health, and social services.
            (5) Connecting community members with health and social 
        services, including services provided by the Federal or State 
        Governments and community-based organizations.
            (6) Providing or supportive provision of additional 
        perinatal health services, such as serving as doulas, peer 
        supporters, certified lactation consultants, and home visitors.
            (7) Providing community-based information to local health 
        departments to inform and improve health programming for hard-
        to-reach communities.
            (8) Preventing the spread of sexually transmitted disease, 
        including through contact tracing.
            (9) Supporting the provision of mental and behavioral 
        health services, including mental health first aid and peer-to-
        peer support.
            (10) Other activities determined appropriate by the 
        Director.
            (11) Other activities, including response to localized 
        public health emergencies, as determined appropriate by State, 
        locality, territory, Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, urban 
        Indian health organization, or health service providers to 
        Tribes funding recipients and in accordance with grant and 
        cooperative agreement scope and stipulations.
    (g) Focal Communities.--State, locality, territorial, Indian Tribe, 
Tribal organization, urban Indian health organization, or health 
service providers to Tribes funded entities shall dedicate a 
substantial number of Force members to addressing the needs of focal 
communities. To be designated as a focal community, a community shall 
at a minimum--
            (1) be in the bottom 50 percent of the United States in 
        terms of life expectancy, infant mortality, poverty, or other 
        measure, as recommended by the National Academies of Sciences, 
        Engineering, and Medicine and approved by the Director; or
            (2) be identified as a ``most vulnerable'' community 
        according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 
        Social Vulnerability Index.
    (h) 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.
                    (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 the 
                leadership of other national health service programs, 
                other relevant Federal agencies, including the 
                Department of Labor and the Centers for Medicare & 
                Medicaid Services, and leaders representing State, 
                locality, territorial, Indian Tribe, Tribal 
                organization, urban Indian health organization, or 
                health service providers to Tribes funded entities. 
                Such advisory group shall meet on a yearly basis to 
                provide guidance for the programmatic success and 
                longevity of the Force.
            (2) States, localities, territories, indian tribes, tribal 
        organizations, urban indian health organizations, or health 
        service providers to tribes collaboration.--
                    (A) In general.--States, localities, territories, 
                Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, urban Indian 
                health organizations, or health service providers to 
                tribes shall ensure coordination and, as appropriate, 
                collaboration between the Force and local public 
                health, and health care, and community-based programs, 
                to ensure complementarity and further strengthen the 
                local public health response.
                    (B) 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 and other key 
                stakeholders to meet on a regular, recurring basis to 
                provide 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.
    (i) Monitoring.--The Director shall develop a performance 
monitoring template for State, locality, territorial, Indian Tribe, 
Tribal organization, urban Indian health organization, or health 
service providers to Tribes funded entities adaptation and use 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.
    (j) Learning and Adaptation.--The Director 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, and 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.
    (k) 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 use of funds under this section during 
        the preceding fiscal year;
            (3) a list of each recipient of a grant, contract, or 
        cooperative agreement under this section and the amount of such 
        grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, as well as a brief 
        summary of the projects funded by each such recipient, the 
        extent of financial participation by other public or private 
        entities, and the impact on employment and economic activity of 
        such projects during the previous fiscal year; and
            (4) a description of the activities carried out under this 
        section.
    (l) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated, 
        and there is appropriated, to carry out this section, 
        $55,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 and 2021, such 
        amounts to remain available until expended.
            (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) In General.--For the period of fiscal years 2020 through 2022, 
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 2019, to address the coronavirus public health emergency 
and other disasters and public emergencies.
    (b) Detail of Core Employees.--A CORE employee may be detailed, 
through mutual agreement, to any Federal agency that is a participating 
agency in the White House Coronavirus Task Force, or to a State, Local, 
or Tribal Government to fulfill an assignment for the Task force, 
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 and 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.
    (c) 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 (a), 
which shall prioritize hiring from among the following groups of 
individuals:
            (1) Unemployed veterans of the Armed Forces.
            (2) Individuals who have become unemployed or underemployed 
        as a result of the coronavirus public health emergency.
            (3) AmeriCorps members, Peace Corps Volunteers, or United 
        States Fulbright Scholars who have had their 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.
    (d) Hiring.--The Federal Emergency Management Agency shall hire 
employees under this section, pursuant to section 306 of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5149), 
and make use of existing statutory authorities that permit regional 
offices and site managers to advertise for and hire such employees.
    (e) 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, including training described in 
section 2(d)(4).
    (f) 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 to be the result of the Coronavirus public 
        health emergency.
    (g) 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 2020 through 2022, 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.
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