Title: Coronavirus Containment Corps Act
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Coronavirus Containment Corps Act
This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop, within 21 days, a nationwide contact tracing strategy for COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) that addresses, among other issues, workforce needs. To implement that strategy, the bill also establishes grant programs in the CDC and the Indian Health Service (IHS), as well as expands grant programs in the Department of Labor.
Specifically, the CDC must award grants to state and local health departments for, among other purposes, hiring and training individuals for contact tracing positions and related roles, and the IHS must award similar grants to tribes and tribal organizations. In addition, Labor shall award certain grants for dislocated workers to states, tribes, and other jurisdictions to support the hiring, deployment, and relevant employment transitions of individuals in contact tracing positions and related roles.
Additionally, grants and contracts that include contact tracing and related roles within the scope of work must comply with prevailing wage requirements that apply to federal service contracts. Employees who work under such grants or contracts must receive wages and fringe benefits that are not less than those prevailing in the locality where work is performed.
Finally, the CDC and Labor must report certain information in accordance with specified timelines, and the Government Accountability Office must evaluate the activities of funding recipients.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6871 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6871

   To create a Coronavirus Containment Corps, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 14, 2020

Mr. Levin of Michigan introduced the following bill; which was referred 
    to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the 
Committees on Education and Labor, and Natural Resources, for a period 
    to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To create a Coronavirus Containment Corps, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS; DEFINITIONS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Coronavirus 
Containment Corps Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents; definitions.
Sec. 2. Nationwide contact tracing strategy.
Sec. 3. Grants to public health departments.
Sec. 4. Awards to Tribes and Tribal organizations.
Sec. 5. Reporting by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Sec. 6. Grants to State and Tribal workforce agencies.
Sec. 7. GAO study.
Sec. 8. Application of the Service Contract Act to contracts and 
                            grants.
Sec. 9. Rule of construction.
    (c) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) The term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
        means--
                    (A) the Committee on Education and Labor of the 
                House of Representatives;
                    (B) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
                House of Representatives; and
                    (C) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
                Pensions of the Senate.
            (2) The term ``COVID-19 public health emergency'' means--
                    (A) the public health emergency declared by the 
                Secretary of Health and Human Services pursuant to 
                section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
                247d) on January 31, 2020, as a result of confirmed 
                cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) and any 
                successor to such declaration; or
                    (B) the national emergency declared by the 
                President under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 
                1601 et seq.) on March 13, 2020, as a result of the 
                COVID-19 outbreak.
            (3) The term ``State'' includes any of the 50 States, the 
        District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, 
        American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
        Islands.
            (4) The terms ``Indian Tribe'' and ``Tribal organization'' 
        have the meanings given to the terms ``Indian Tribe'' and 
        ``tribal organization'', respectively, in section 4 of the 
        Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 
        U.S.C. 5304).

SEC. 2. NATIONWIDE CONTACT TRACING STRATEGY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 21 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in 
this section referred to as the ``Secretary''), acting through the 
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall--
            (1) provide to the appropriate congressional committees a 
        strategy to expand COVID-19 contact tracing; and
            (2) include in such strategy recommendations to augment the 
        capacity of State, Tribal, and local public health departments 
        to train and place individuals (to be referred to collectively 
        as the ``Coronavirus Containment Corps'') to--
                    (A) investigate cases of COVID-19;
                    (B) identify the contacts of individuals confirmed 
                or presumed to have been infected by SARS-CoV-2;
                    (C) trace such contacts; and
                    (D) provide supports to ensure that such contacts 
                can take the precautions necessary to safely quarantine 
                to stop the spread of COVID-19.
    (b) Consultation.--In developing the strategy under subsection (a), 
the Secretary shall consult with--
            (1) State public health officials;
            (2) Tribal public health officials, Tribal nations, and 
        Tribal organizations;
            (3) local public health officials;
            (4) the Director of the Indian Health Service; and
            (5) experts with knowledge of, or field experience 
        concerning, racial and ethnic disparities in public health and 
        historically marginalized communities.
    (c) Requirements.--The strategy under subsection (a) shall 
identify--
            (1) the minimum number of persons needed to investigate 
        cases of COVID-19 and identify the contacts of individuals 
        confirmed or presumed to have been infected by SARS-CoV-2 for 
        each State and Indian Tribe;
            (2) the minimum number of contact tracers needed for each 
        State and Indian Tribe;
            (3) the minimum number of specialists needed to connect 
        contacts described in paragraph (1) to social supports to 
        ensure those contacts can take the precautions necessary to 
        safely quarantine to stop the spread of COVID-19 for each State 
        and Indian Tribe;
            (4) the recommended qualifications necessary for case 
        investigators, contact tracers, and social support specialists 
        to perform such duties successfully;
            (5) strategies to enable State, Tribal, and local public 
        health departments to hire, train, and deploy case 
        investigators, contact tracers, and social support specialists;
            (6) strategies to rapidly develop guidance and training 
        materials necessary to support public health departments in 
        preparing individuals to serve as case investigators, contact 
        tracers, and social support specialists;
            (7) plans to use mobile or app-based contact tracing 
        technology, including--
                    (A) plans to prevent the misuse of data and to 
                ensure the automatic deletion of data after the 
                conclusion of the COVID-19 public health emergency; and
                    (B) plans to prohibit data sharing with and within 
                the Federal Government, with the exceptions of the 
                Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the 
                Indian Health Service;
            (8) strategies to record and publicly report de-identified 
        data, while protecting--
                    (A) the privacy of individuals and information 
                regarding their personal health; and
                    (B) Tribal data sovereignty;
            (9) protocols to limit the risks posed to individual 
        privacy and data security, including through data minimization, 
        anonymizing and redacting, and limitations on sharing and 
        storing personally identifiable information;
            (10) strategies to monitor and evaluate best practices in 
        contact tracing, with input from State, Tribal, and local 
        public health departments; and
            (11) strategies to coordinate with State and Tribal 
        workforce agencies to recruit newly unemployed individuals--
                    (A) prioritizing individuals from within the 
                communities in which they will work; and
                    (B) reflecting the diversity of that community.
    (d) Strategies To Enable Hiring, Training, and Deployment.--Not 
later than 7 days after the strategy under subsection (a) is provided 
to the appropriate congressional committees, the Secretary shall 
provide the strategies described in subsection (c)(5) to States and 
Tribes.

SEC. 3. GRANTS TO PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS.

    (a) In General.--Subject to the availability of appropriations, the 
Secretary Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the 
``Secretary''), acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, shall award a grant to each State and local 
public health department that seeks a grant in accordance with this 
section to implement the strategy under section 2(a).
    (b) Formula.--The Secretary shall allocate amounts made available 
pursuant to subsection (a) in accordance with a formula to be 
established by the Secretary that--
            (1) provides a minimum level of funding to each grantee; 
        and
            (2) allocates--
                    (A) additional funding among grantees based on--
                            (i) population;
                            (ii) the projected need for COVID-19 in 
                        vitro diagnostic products (as defined in 
                        section 809.3 of title 21, Code of Federal 
                        Regulations (or successor regulations)) during 
                        the period of the grant;
                            (iii) the percentage of COVID-19 cases per 
                        10,000 persons as of the date of submission of 
                        the application for the grant;
                            (iv) the COVID-19 case growth rate; and
                            (v) the projected number of COVID-19 cases 
                        during the period of the grant; and
                    (B) an additional increment for States that have a 
                plan to increase the percentage of the population that 
                will be tested.
    (c) Required Uses of Funds.--Amounts made available to a grantee 
pursuant to subsection (a) shall be used for the following activities:
            (1) Costs, including wages and benefits, including health 
        care benefits, as appropriate, related to the recruiting and 
        hiring of individuals--
                    (A) to serve as case investigators, contact 
                tracers, and social support specialists described in 
                paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), respectively, of section 
                2(c); and
                    (B) employed by--
                            (i) the State or local government involved; 
                        or
                            (ii) a nonprofit organization with 
                        demonstrated expertise in implementing public 
                        health programs.
            (2) Supplies necessary for grantees to implement the 
        strategy established under section 2, including any supplies, 
        equipment, or technology for individuals serving as case 
        investigators, contact tracers, or social support specialists.
            (3) Administrative costs and activities necessary for 
        grantees to implement the strategy established under section 2.
            (4) Development of partnerships with State and local 
        workforce development systems as defined in section 3 of the 
        Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102) to 
        provide training and supportive service for individuals serving 
        as case investigators, contact tracers, or social support 
        specialists.
            (5) Reporting to the Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention on--
                    (A) implementation of the strategy established 
                under section 2; and
                    (B) indicators of performance listed in section 
                5(c)(1).
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000,000, to remain 
available until expended.

SEC. 4. AWARDS TO TRIBES AND TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Subject to the availability of appropriations, the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as 
the ``Secretary''), acting through the Director of the Indian Health 
Service, in coordination with the Director of the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, in consultation with Indian Tribes and Tribal 
organizations, shall award funds to Indian Tribes and Tribal 
organizations to implement the strategy established under section 2.
    (b) Formula.--The Secretary shall allocate amounts made available 
pursuant to subsection (a) in accordance with a formula to be 
established by the Secretary in consultation with Indian Tribes and 
Tribal organizations that--
            (1) provides a minimum level of funding to each Indian 
        Tribe and Tribal organization; and
            (2) allocates additional funding on the basis of 
        population.
    (c) Eligible Activities.--Amounts made available to an awardee 
pursuant to subsection (a) shall be used for the following activities:
            (1) Costs, including wages and benefits, including health 
        care benefits, as appropriate, related to the recruiting and 
        hiring of individuals--
                    (A) to serve as case investigators, contact 
                tracers, and social support specialists described in 
                paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), respectively, of section 
                2(c); and
                    (B) employed by--
                            (i) the Tribal government involved; or
                            (ii) a nonprofit organizations with 
                        demonstrated expertise in implementing public 
                        health programs.
            (2) Supplies necessary for awardees to implement the 
        strategy established under section 2, including any supplies, 
        equipment, or technology for individuals serving as case 
        investigators, contact tracers, or social support specialists.
            (3) Administrative costs and activities necessary for 
        awardees to implement the strategy established under section 2.
            (4) Development of partnerships with State and local 
        workforce development systems as defined in section 3 of the 
        Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102) to 
        provide training and supportive service for individuals serving 
        as case investigators, contact tracers, or social support 
        specialists.
            (5) Reporting to the Indian Health Service, which shall 
        then report the information to the Centers for Disease Control 
        and Prevention, on--
                    (A) implementation of the strategy established 
                under section 2; and
                    (B) indicators of performance listed in section 
                5(c)(1).
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000,000, to remain 
available until expended.

SEC. 5. REPORTING BY THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, and every 30 days thereafter, the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (in this section referred to as the 
``Secretary'') shall report to the appropriate congressional committees 
on the implementation of the strategy established under section 2.
    (b) Reporting Infrastructure.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall--
            (1) support a reporting infrastructure that--
                    (A) minimizes administrative burdens on States, 
                Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and localities; 
                and
                    (B) protects the privacy of individuals' 
                information; and
            (2) consult with Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations and 
        coordinate with the Indian Health Service to create a reporting 
        infrastructure for Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations 
        that--
                    (A) honors and preserves Tribal data sovereignty; 
                and
                    (B) ensures that Indian Tribes and Tribal 
                organizations consent before any Tribal data is 
                reported.
    (c) Requirements.--The report under subsection (a) shall--
            (1) for each State and Indian Tribe include--
                    (A) the number of case investigators hired, 
                trained, and deployed;
                    (B) the number of contact tracers hired, trained, 
                and deployed;
                    (C) the number of social support specialists hired, 
                trained, and deployed;
                    (D) the number of case investigations launched;
                    (E) the percentage of contacts reached compared to 
                the percentage of contacts identified;
                    (F) the percentage of contacts quarantined or 
                isolated compared to the percentage of contacts 
                reached;
                    (G) the percentage of contacts connected to social 
                supports compared to the percentage of contacts needing 
                such supports to quarantine; and
                    (H) a description of any barriers that limit the 
                ability of contacts to quarantine, to isolate, or to 
                access needed social supports;
            (2) contextualize the data that is reported so as to 
        mitigate discrimination against historically marginalized 
        communities; and
            (3) be made public on the internet website of the Centers 
        for Disease Control and Prevention.

SEC. 6. GRANTS TO STATE AND TRIBAL WORKFORCE AGENCIES.

    (a) Definitions.--
            (1) In general.--Except as otherwise provided, the terms in 
        this section have the meanings given the terms in section 3 of 
        the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
            (2) Apprenticeship; apprenticeship program.--The term 
        ``apprenticeship'' or ``apprenticeship program'' means an 
        apprenticeship program registered under the Act of August 16, 
        1937 (commonly known as the ``National Apprenticeship Act'') 
        (50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.), including 
        any requirement, standard, or rule promulgated under such Act, 
        as such requirement, standard, or rule was in effect on 
        December 30, 2019.
            (3) Contact tracing and related positions.--The term 
        ``contact tracing and related positions'' means employment 
        related to contact tracing, surveillance, containment, and 
        mitigation activities.
            (4) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) a State or territory, including the District of 
                Columbia and Puerto Rico;
                    (B) an Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, Urban 
                Indian organization, Alaska Native entity, Indian-
                controlled organization serving Indians, or Native 
                Hawaiian organization;
                    (C) an outlying area; or
                    (D) a local board, if an eligible entity under 
                subparagraphs (A) through (C) has not applied with 
                respect to the area over which the local board has 
                jurisdiction as of the date on which the local board 
                submits an application under subsection (c).
            (5) Eligible individual.--Notwithstanding section 170(b)(2) 
        of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
        3225(b)(2)), the term ``eligible individual'' means an 
        individual seeking or securing employment in contact tracing or 
        related positions and is served by an eligible entity or 
        community-based organization receiving funding under this 
        section.
            (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Labor.
            (7) Urban indian organization.--The term ``Urban Indian 
        organization'' has the meaning given to such term in section 4 
        of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603).
    (b) Grants.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to the availability of 
        appropriations under subsection (g), the Secretary shall award 
        national dislocated worker grants under section 170(b)(1)(B) of 
        the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
        3225(b)(1)(B)) to each eligible entity that seeks a grant to 
        assist local boards and community-based organizations in 
        carrying out activities under subsections (f) and (d), 
        respectively, for the following purposes:
                    (A) To support the recruitment, placement, and 
                training, as applicable, of eligible individuals 
                seeking employment in contact tracing and related 
                positions in accordance with the strategy established 
                under section 2 of this Act.
                    (B) To assist with the employment transition to new 
                employment or education and training of individuals 
                employed under this section in preparation for and upon 
                termination of such employment.
            (2) Timeline.--The Secretary of Labor shall--
                    (A) issue application requirements under subsection 
                (c) not later than 10 days after the date of enactment 
                of this section; and
                    (B) award grants to an eligible entity under 
                paragraph (1) not later than 10 days after the date on 
                which the Secretary receives an application from such 
                entity.
    (c) Grant Application.--An eligible entity applying for a grant 
under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary, at 
such time and in such form and manner as the Secretary may reasonably 
require, which shall include a description of--
            (1) how the eligible entity will support the recruitment, 
        placement, and training, as applicable, of eligible individuals 
        seeking employment in contact tracing and related positions by 
        partnering with--
                    (A) a State, local, Tribal, or territorial health 
                department; or
                    (B) a community-based organization partnering with 
                such health departments;
            (2) how the activities described in paragraph (1) will 
        support State efforts to address the demand for contact tracing 
        and related positions with respect to--
                    (A) the State plans referred to in the heading 
                ``Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund'' in 
                title I of division B of the Paycheck Protection 
                Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (Public Law 
                116-139);
                    (B) the strategy established under section 2 of 
                this Act; and
                    (C) the number of eligible individuals that the 
                State plans to recruit and train under the plans and 
                strategies described in subparagraphs (A) and (B);
            (3) the specific strategies for recruiting and placement of 
        eligible individuals from or residing within the communities in 
        which they will work, including--
                    (A) plans for the recruitment of eligible 
                individuals to serve as contact tracers and related 
                positions, including dislocated workers, individuals 
                with barriers to employment, veterans, new entrants in 
                the workforce, or underemployed or furloughed workers, 
                who are from or reside in or near the local area in 
                which they will serve, and who, to the extent 
                practicable--
                            (i) have experience or a background in 
                        industry-sectors and occupations such as public 
                        health, social services, customer service, case 
                        management, or occupations that require related 
                        qualifications, skills, or competencies, such 
                        as strong interpersonal and communication 
                        skills, needed for contact tracing or related 
                        positions; or
                            (ii) seek to transition to public health 
                        and public health related occupations upon the 
                        conclusion of employment in contact tracing or 
                        related positions;
                    (B) how such strategies will take into account the 
                diversity of such community, including racial, ethnic, 
                socioeconomic, linguistic, or geographic diversity;
            (4) the amount, timing, and mechanisms for distribution of 
        funds provided to local boards or through subgrants as 
        described in subsection (d);
            (5) for eligible entities described in subparagraphs (A) 
        through (C) of subsection (a)(4), a description of how the 
        eligible entity will ensure the equitable distribution of funds 
        with respect to--
                    (A) geography (such as urban and rural 
                distribution);
                    (B) medically underserved populations (as defined 
                in section 33(b)(3) of the Public Health Service Act 
                (42 U.S.C. 254b(b)));
                    (C) health professional shortage areas (as defined 
                under section 332(a) of the Public Health Service Act 
                (42 U.S.C. 254e(a))); and
                    (D) the racial and ethnic diversity of the area; 
                and
            (6) for eligible entities who are local boards, a 
        description of how a grant to such eligible entity would serve 
        the equitable distribution of funds as described in paragraph 
        (5).
    (d) Subgrant Authorization and Application Process.--
            (1) In general.--An eligible entity may award a subgrant to 
        a community-based organization for the purposes of partnering 
        with a State or local board to conduct outreach and education 
        activities to inform potentially eligible individuals about 
        employment opportunities in contact tracing and related 
        positions.
            (2) Application.--A community-based organization shall 
        submit an application at such time and in such manner as the 
        eligible entity may reasonably require, including--
                    (A) a demonstration of the community-based 
                organization's established expertise and effectiveness 
                in community outreach in the local area that such 
                organization plans to serve;
                    (B) a demonstration of the community-based 
                organization's expertise in providing employment or 
                public health information to the local areas in which 
                such organization plans to serve; and
                    (C) a description of the expertise of the 
                community-based organization in utilizing culturally 
                competent and multilingual strategies in the provision 
                of services.
    (e) Grant Distribution.--
            (1) Federal distribution.--
                    (A) Use of funds.--The Secretary of Labor shall use 
                the funds appropriated to carry out this section as 
                follows:
                            (i) Subject to clause (ii), the Secretary 
                        shall distribute funds among eligible entities 
                        in accordance with a formula to be established 
                        by the Secretary that--
                                    (I) provides a minimum level of 
                                funding to each eligible entity that 
                                seeks a grant under this section; and
                                    (II) allocates additional funding 
                                with priority given based on the number 
                                and proportion of contact tracing and 
                                related positions that the State plans 
                                to recruit, place, and train as a part 
                                of the State plans described in 
                                subsection (c)(2)(A).
                            (ii) Not more than 2 percent of the funding 
                        may be used for administration of the grants 
                        and for providing technical assistance to 
                        recipients of funds under this section.
                    (B) Equitable distribution.--If the geographic 
                region served by one or more eligible entities 
                overlaps, the Secretary shall distribute funds among 
                such entities in such a manner that ensures equitable 
                distribution with respect to the factors under in 
                subsection (c)(5).
            (2) Eligible entity use of funds.--An eligible entity 
        described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of subsection 
        (a)(4)--
                    (A) shall, not later than 30 days after the date on 
                which the entity receives grant funds under this 
                section, provide not less than 70 percent of grant 
                funds to local boards for the purpose of carrying out 
                activities in subsection (f);
                    (B) may use up to 20 percent of such funds to make 
                subgrants to community-based organizations in the 
                service area to conduct outreach, to potential eligible 
                individuals, as described in subsection (d);
                    (C) in providing funds to local boards and awarding 
                subgrants under this subsection shall ensure the 
                equitable distribution with respect to the factors 
                described in subsection (c)(5); and
                    (D) may use not more than 10 percent of the funds 
                awarded under this section for the administrative costs 
                of carrying out the grant and for providing technical 
                assistance to local boards and community-based 
                organizations.
            (3) Local board use of funds.--A local board, or an 
        eligible entity that is a local board, shall use--
                    (A) not less than 60 percent of the funds for 
                recruitment and training for activities in accordance 
                with the strategy established under section 2;
                    (B) not less than 30 of the funds to support the 
                transition of individuals hired as contact tracers and 
                related positions into an education or training 
                program, or unsubsidized employment upon completion of 
                such positions; and
                    (C) not more than 10 percent of the funds for 
                administrative costs.
    (f) Eligible Activities.--The State or local boards shall use funds 
awarded under this section to support the recruitment and placement of 
eligible individuals, training and employment transition as related to 
contact tracing and related positions, and for the following 
activities:
            (1) Establishing or expanding partnerships with--
                    (A) State, local, Tribal, and territorial public 
                health departments;
                    (B) community-based health providers, including 
                community health centers and rural health clinics;
                    (C) labor organizations or joint labor management 
                organizations;
                    (D) two-year and four-year institutions of higher 
                education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)), including 
                institutions eligible to receive funds under section 
                371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
                1067q(a)); and
                    (E) community action agencies or other community-
                based organizations serving local areas in which there 
                is a demand for contact tracers and related positions.
            (2) Providing training for contact tracing and related 
        positions in coordination with State, local, Tribal, or 
        territorial health departments that is consistent with the 
        State or territorial testing and contact tracing strategy and 
        ensuring that eligible individuals receive compensation while 
        participating in such training.
            (3) Providing eligible individuals with--
                    (A) adequate and safe equipment, environments, and 
                facilities for training and supervision, as applicable;
                    (B) information regarding the wages and benefits 
                related to contact tracing and related positions, as 
                compared to State, local, and national averages;
                    (C) supplies and equipment needed by the program 
                participants to support placement of an individual in 
                contact tracing and related positions, as applicable;
                    (D) an individualized employment plan for each 
                eligible individual, as applicable--
                            (i) in coordination with the entity 
                        employing the eligible individual in a contact 
                        tracing or related position; and
                            (ii) which shall include providing a case 
                        manager to work with each eligible individual 
                        to develop the plan, which may include--
                                    (I) identifying employment and 
                                career goals, and setting appropriate 
                                achievement objectives to attain such 
                                goals; and
                                    (II) exploring career pathways that 
                                lead to in-demand industries and 
                                sectors, including in public health and 
                                related occupations; and
                    (E) services for the period during which the 
                individual is employed in a contact tracing and related 
                position to ensure job retention, which may include--
                            (i) supportive services throughout the term 
                        of employment;
                            (ii) a continuation of skills training as 
                        related to employment as a contact tracer or 
                        related positions, that is conducted in 
                        collaboration with the employers of such 
                        participants;
                            (iii) mentorship services and job retention 
                        support for eligible individuals; or
                            (iv) targeted training for managers and 
                        workers working with eligible individuals (such 
                        as mentors), and human resource 
                        representatives.
            (4) Supporting the transition and placement in unsubsidized 
        employment for eligible individuals serving in the contact 
        tracing or related positions after such positions are no longer 
        necessary in the State or local area, including--
                    (A) any additional training and employment 
                activities as described in section 170(d)(4) of the 
                Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
                3225(d)(4));
                    (B) developing the appropriate combination of 
                services to enable the eligible individual to achieve 
                the employment and career goals identified under 
                paragraph (3)(D)(ii)(I); and
                    (C) services to assist eligible individuals in 
                maintaining employment for not less than 12 months 
                after the completion of employment in contact tracing 
                or related positions, as appropriate.
            (5) Any other activities as described in subsections (a)(3) 
        and (b) of section 134 of the Workforce Innovation and 
        Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3174).
    (g) Limitation.--Notwithstanding section 170(d)(3)(A) of the 
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3225(d)(3)(A)), a 
person may be employed in a contact tracing or related position using 
funds under this section for a period not greater than 2 years.
    (h) Reporting by the Department of Labor.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 120 days of the enactment 
        of this Act, and once grant funds have been expended under this 
        section, the Secretary shall report to the Committee on 
        Education and Labor of the House of Representatives and the 
        Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the 
        Senate, and make publicly available a report containing a 
        description of--
                    (A) the number of eligible individuals recruited, 
                hired, trained as contact tracers or in related 
                positions;
                    (B) the number of individuals successfully 
                transitioned to unsubsidized employment or training at 
                the completion of employment in contact tracing or 
                related positions using funds under this subtitle;
                    (C) the number of such individuals who were 
                unemployed prior to being hired, trained, or deployed 
                as described in paragraph (1);
                    (D) the performance of each program supported by 
                funds under this subtitle with respect to the 
                indicators of performance under section 116 of the 
                Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
                3141), as applicable;
                    (E) the number of individuals in unsubsidized 
                employment within six months and 1 year, respectively, 
                of the conclusion of employment in contact tracing or 
                related positions and, of those, the number of 
                individuals within a State, territorial, or local 
                public health department in an occupation related to 
                public health;
                    (F) any information on how eligible entities, local 
                boards, or community-based organizations that received 
                funding under this subsection were able to support the 
                goals of the strategy established under section 2 of 
                this Act; and
                    (G) best practices for improving and increasing the 
                transition of individuals employed in contact tracing 
                or related positions to permanent, full-time 
                employment.
            (2) Disaggregation.--All data reported under paragraph (1) 
        shall be disaggregated by race, ethnicity, sex, age, and, with 
        respect to individuals with barriers to employment, 
        subpopulation of such individuals, except for when the number 
        of participants in a category is insufficient to yield 
        statistically reliable information or when the results would 
        reveal personally identifiable information about an individual 
        participant.
    (i) Special Rule.--Any funds used for programs under this section 
that are used to fund an apprenticeship or apprenticeship program shall 
only be used for, or provided to, an apprenticeship or apprenticeship 
program that meets the definition of such term subsection (a) of this 
section, including any funds awarded for the purposes of grants, 
contracts, or cooperative agreements, or the development, 
implementation, or administration, of an apprenticeship or an 
apprenticeship program.
    (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $500,000,000.

SEC. 7. GAO STUDY.

    (a) Scope of Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States 
shall conduct a study to evaluate--
            (1) the strategies, components, policies, and practices 
        used by recipients of funding under this Act to successfully 
        assist--
                    (A) State, Tribal, and local health departments; 
                and
                    (B) State, Tribal, and local workforce development 
                systems; and
            (2) any challenges associated with implementation of such 
        strategies, components, policies, and practices.
    (b) Consultation.--In carrying out the study under subsection (a), 
the Comptroller General shall consult with a geographically diverse 
(including urban, suburban, and rural) representation of individuals 
engaged in implementation of this Act, including the following:
            (1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees.
            (2) Department of Labor employees.
            (3) State and local public health departments.
            (4) State and local workforce development systems.
            (5) Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations.
            (6) Case investigators, contact tracers, and social support 
        specialists.
    (c) Submission.--Not later than two years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit the study 
conducted under subsection (a) to the appropriate congressional 
committees.

SEC. 8. APPLICATION OF THE SERVICE CONTRACT ACT TO CONTRACTS AND 
              GRANTS.

    Contracts and grants which include contact tracing as part of the 
scope of work and that are awarded under this subtitle shall require 
that contact tracers and related positions are paid not less than the 
prevailing wage and fringe rates required under chapter 67 of title 41, 
United States Code (commonly known as the ``Service Contract Act''), 
for the area in which the work is performed. To the extent that a 
nonstandard wage determination is required to establish a prevailing 
wage for contact tracers and related positions for purposes of this 
subtitle, the Secretary of Labor shall issue such determination not 
later than 14 days after the date of enactment of this Act, based on a 
job description used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
and contractors or grantees performing contact tracing for State public 
health agencies.

SEC. 9. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

    Nothing in this Act shall be construed to restrict or in any way 
infringe upon individuals' freedom of association.
                                 <all>