Title: MOTION Act
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Mobile Options for Testing In Our Neighborhoods Act or the MOTION Act
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants within 120 days to, among others, specified health facilities, governmental health departments, and nonprofits for establishing or maintaining mobile testing programs for COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) and the virus that causes it.
In awarding these grants, HHS must take into account certain state-based plans for COVID-19 testing and give priority to applicants that serve communities with limited access to transportation, medically underserved populations, and areas with shortages of health professionals.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8017 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8017

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to 
 eligible entities to establish, improve, and maintain mobile testing 
     programs for SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            August 11, 2020

  Ms. Mucarsel-Powell (for herself, Ms. Sherrill, Mr. Higgins of New 
 York, Mr. Cox of California, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Deutch, Ms. Escobar, Mr. 
 Vargas, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr. Clyburn, and 
  Mr. Soto) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to 
 eligible entities to establish, improve, and maintain mobile testing 
     programs for SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, 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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Mobile Options for Testing In Our 
Neighborhoods Act'' or the ``MOTION Act''.

SEC. 2. MOBILE TESTING FOR SARS-COV-2 AND COVID-19.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in 
this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall award grants to 
establish, improve, and maintain mobile testing programs to conduct 
testing for SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19.
    (b) Eligible Entity.--In this section, the term ``eligible entity'' 
means--
            (1) a health center (as defined in section 330 of the 
        Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 3 254b)), including 
        community health centers;
            (2) a federally qualified health center (as defined in 
        section 1861 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x));
            (3) a rural health clinic (as defined in section 1861 of 
        the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x));
            (4) a State, local, Tribal, or territorial health 
        department;
            (5) medical centers and research labs at an institution of 
        higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001));
            (6) nonprofit organizations; and
            (7) any other entity as determined by the Secretary.
    (c) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity receiving grant funds under 
subsection (a) shall use the funds to--
            (1) purchase equipment and supplies to conduct mobile 
        testing for SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19;
            (2) serve multiple communities (including zip codes or 
        cities) in a period determined by the Secretary;
            (3) purchase, lease, and maintain mobile vehicles and 
        equipment to conduct such testing;
            (4) hire and train laboratory personnel and other staff to 
        conduct such testing;
            (5) provide or administer, as the case may be--
                    (A) vaccines licensed under section 351 of the 
                Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262) for SARS-CoV-
                2 or COVID-19; and
                    (B) drugs and biological products--
                            (i) approved under sections 505 and 564 of 
                        the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 
                        U.S.C. 355 and 360bbb-3) for SARS-CoV-2 or 
                        COVID-19; or
                            (ii) licensed under section 351 of the 
                        Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262) for 
                        the cure, mitigation, or treatment of SARS-CoV-
                        2 or COVID-19; and
            (6) carry out other activities related to such testing, as 
        determined by the Secretary.
    (d) Consideration.--In establishing the grant program under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall take into consideration COVID-19 
testing plans required under the fourth proviso under the second 
paragraph under the heading ``Department of Health and Human Services--
Office of the Secretary--Public Health and Social Services'' of title 1 
of division B of the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care 
Enhancement Act (Public Law 116-139).
    (e) Priority.--In awarding grants pursuant to this section, the 
Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that serve--
            (1) communities that have limited access to transportation, 
        including communities--
                    (A) with a high percentage of households that do 
                not have access to private vehicles;
                    (B) that do not have public transit;
                    (C) with a high percentage of individuals who 
                primarily use public transit for transportation; or
                    (D) with reduced access to public transit as a 
                result of the spread of COVID-19;
            (2) medically underserved populations (as defined in 
        section 330(b)(3) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C 
        254b(b)(3))); and
            (3) health professional shortage areas (as defined in 
        section 330(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C 
        254e(a))).
    (f) Reports.--
            (1) Report to secretary.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of the enactment of this Act, an entity that receives 
        grant funds pursuant to this Act shall submit to the Secretary 
        a report on the activities carried out using such grant funds.
            (2) Report to congress.--Not later than December 31, 2021, 
        the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the 
        effectiveness of the activities carried out pursuant to this 
        Act.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this Act $400,000,000, to remain available 
until expended.
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