Safely Back to School and Back to Work Act

Bill: 116-s-4322
Sponsor: Sen. Alexander, Lamar [R-TN]
Introduced: 2020-07-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Advanced technology and technological innovations
Appropriations
Blood and blood diseases
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Child care and development
Child health
Child safety and welfare
Civil actions and liability
Congressional oversight
Department of Education
Department of Health and Human Services
Disability and health-based discrimination
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Employee benefits and pensions
Employment and training programs
Executive agency funding and structure
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Genetics
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health facilities and institutions
Health information and medical records
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Health technology, devices, supplies
Higher education
Immunology and vaccination
Income tax credits
Indian social and development programs
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Manufacturing
Medical research
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Performance measurement
Product development and innovation
Property tax
Public contracts and procurement
Right of privacy
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
State and local government operations
State and local taxation
Strategic materials and reserves
Student aid and college costs
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Temporary and part-time employment
Unemployment
Wages and earnings
Worker safety and health
Youth employment and child labor

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-27
text: 

Safely Back to School and Back to Work Act

 
This bill makes multiple changes to federal public health, education, and workforce training programs in order to respond to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency. 
 
With respect to public health programs, the bill establishes grant programs, provides contracting and other authorities, and directs other activities pertaining to 
 
 
biomedical research and development of vaccines, diagnostic tests, and countermeasures; 
 
 
the administration of the Strategic National Stockpile; 
 
 
public health preparedness and response; and 
 
other issues related to COVID-19, such as allowing employers to temporarily offer telehealth benefits to employees who do not otherwise qualify for health benefits and prohibiting the collection or use of genetic material from COVID-19 tests without written, informed consent.
 
 
With respect to education and certain workforce programs, the bill

 
 
revises student loan repayment programs, including by consolidating repayment options; 
 
 
allows the Department of Education to waive certain statutory and regulatory requirements for elementary and secondary schools and career, technical, and adult education programs; 
 
 
establishes grant programs concerning child care providers, eligible scholarship-granting organizations, and certain workers impacted by COVID-19; and 
 
 
makes other changes to programs and funding for higher education, elementary and secondary education, and workforce training.
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2020-07-27
text: Introduced in Senate