Defeat Pandemic Propaganda Act of 2020

Bill: 116-hr-8542
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]
Introduced: 2020-10-06
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health

Economic performance and conditions

Elections, voting, political campaign regulation

Emergency medical services and trauma care

Government information and archives

Health promotion and preventive care

Infectious and parasitic diseases

Marketing and advertising

Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
Latest action: action_date: 2020-10-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-10-06
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Defeat Pandemic Propaganda Act of 2020</b></p> <p>This bill prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from obligating or expending federal funds before November 3, 2020, on public service announcements intended to positively influence public perception or misrepresent facts regarding the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic or encourage activities that carry an undue risk of contracting the disease.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8542 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 6, 2020 Mr. Krishnamoorthi (for himself, Ms. DeLauro , Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York , and Mr. Clyburn ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To prohibit the use of Federal funds by the Department of Health and Human Services, before November 3, 2020, on a public service announcement and advertising campaign intended to positively influence public perception, misrepresent facts, or encourage risky behavior, regarding the COVID–19 pandemic.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Defeat Pandemic Propaganda Act of 2020 . 2. Findings Congress finds that— (1) over 200,000 Americans have died of COVID–19; (2) there is no vaccine for COVID–19 approved by the Food and Drug Administration; (3) on August 31, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services signed an approximately $250,000,000 contract for a public service announcement and advertising campaign to, in part, defeat despair and inspire hope, sharing best practices for businesses to operate in the new normal and instill confidence to return to work and restart the economy amidst the COVID–19 pandemic; and (4) a presidential election is to be held on November 3, 2020, approximately 2 months from the date the contract was signed. 3. Sense of Congress It is the sense of the Congress that— (1) a public service announcement and advertising campaign to promote a return to previous activities amidst the COVID–19 pandemic could encourage Americans to defy recommendations by Federal, State, and local public health authorities; and (2) a public service announcement and advertising campaign promoting a positive outlook on a pandemic that has resulted in the deaths of over 200,000 Americans, to air in the weeks preceding a presidential election, would be an unethical use of Federal funds. 4. No Federal funds for public service announcement and advertising campaign No Federal funds may be obligated or expended by the Department of Health and Human Services, before November 3, 2020, on a public service announcement and advertising campaign intended— (1) to positively influence public perception regarding the COVID–19 pandemic; (2) to misrepresent facts regarding the COVID–19 pandemic; or (3) to encourage engagement in activities that carry an undue risk of contracting COVID–19.