Number:        116-20   
Date:             October 2, 2020

House passes H.R. 7496, the
“COVID PREPARE Act of 2020”

On September 30, 2020, the House suspended the rules and passed H.R. 7496, the COVID PREPARE Act of 2020, as amended by voice vote. The legislation would require Federal agencies1 to submit to Congress plans for responding to any resurgence2 of COVID-19 cases. The bill now moves to the Senate for action.

H.R. 7496 includes the following provisions of interest to SSA:

Would require the head of each Federal agency, within 30 days of enactment, to submit an initial report to Congress detailing an action plan for addressing challenges associated with the resurgence of COVID-19 cases. The report must include:

• agency priorities for preparing for and responding to any COVID-19 resurgence, including continuity of operations;
• measurable goals specific to those priorities and a timeline for addressing them;
• anticipated challenges to addressing those priorities and how the agency will address such challenges;
• how the agency will consult with Congress, the public, State and local governments and relevant stakeholders while working remotely; and
• how the agency will issue guidance to entities under its jurisdiction.

Would require the head of each Federal agency, within 60 days after enactment and quarterly thereafter until the President ends the declared emergency, to submit a report to Congress that includes updates on the status of each priority listed in the initial report, an explanation for any goal not met within the specified timeframe, and any changes or updates to the plan.

If enacted, the law would not provide funding to implement these requirements.

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1 As defined under 5 U.S.C. § 551

2The legislation does not define resurgence or who would determine whether a resurgence occurred. As drafted, provisions may be open to interpretation by agencies without additional guidance.