{ "id": "R46285", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "R46285", "active": true, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 620958, "date": "2020-03-25", "retrieved": "2020-03-25T22:17:52.415857", "title": "Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (P.L. 116-123): First Coronavirus Supplemental", "summary": "In the early months of 2020, the federal government began to express concern over the global outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). COVID-19 is a viral respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus. By late January, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had invoked certain authorities to direct existing funds to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak. The HHS Secretary declared COVID-19 to be a Public Health Emergency, effective January 27, 2020.\nOn February 24, 2020, the Trump Administration submitted an initial emergency supplemental appropriations request to Congress. The Administration requested $1.25 billion in new funds for the HHS Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (PHSSEF) to support COVID-19 response efforts. The request included a number of other proposals, mostly related to repurposing existing funds from across the government toward response activities. All told, the Administration estimated needing to allocate about $2.5 billion toward COVID-19 response efforts.\nOn March 4, 2020, the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 6074), was introduced in the House. The bill was passed by the House (415-2) on March 4 and by the Senate (96-1) on March 5. The bill was signed into law (P.L. 116-123) on March 6. This supplemental appropriations act is the first such act to be enacted in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak. Any subsequent such actions are beyond the scope of the report. \nAccording to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Division A of P.L. 116-123 provides roughly $7.8 billion in discretionary supplemental appropriations. (CBO estimates that provisions in Division B will cost roughly $490 million, but those provisions are not the focus of this report.) The funds in Division A of P.L. 116-123 are primarily intended to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus. (For purposes of the bill, the term coronavirus refers to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-2019, or another coronavirus with pandemic potential.)\nThe majority of the funds in Division A are appropriated to HHS agencies and accounts. In total, the bill appropriates $6.5 billion to HHS, representing 84% of all funds in the bill. In general, these funds are for health emergency prevention, preparedness, and response activities related to COVID-19. Funds largely support domestic activities, but certain accounts include funds that may be allocated for global health activities. The HHS funds are distributed as follows:\nThe PHSSEF receives almost half of all funds in Division A, with appropriations totaling $3.4 billion when including $300 million in appropriations that are contingent upon future actions by HHS. PHSSEF funds are provided for the development of countermeasures and vaccines, as well as for the purchase of vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, necessary medical supplies, medical surge capacity, and administrative activities. \nThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) receives the next-largest share of all funds in the supplemental: $2.8 billion, accounting for more than a quarter of all funds in Division A. In general, these funds are intended to support core public health functions, including surveillance, laboratory capacity, infection control, and other activities. The funds are also for global disease detection and emergency response, as well as for activities carried out using the Infectious Diseases Rapid Response Reserve Fund (IDRRRF). \nRemaining HHS funds are appropriated to the Food and Drug Administration ($61 million) and the National Institutes of Health ($836 million).\nIn addition to amounts appropriated to HHS, the supplemental provides $20 million in administrative funds for the Disaster Loans Program Account within the Small Business Administration (SBA). The supplemental also includes provisions clarifying that SBA disaster loans and economic injury disaster loans may be made in response to COVID-19. Finally, the supplemental provides nearly $1.3 billion (about 16% of all funds in Division A) to support foreign operations activities across several agencies and funding mechanisms. This includes funding to help the Department of State maintain consular operations, reimburse for evacuation expenses, and support emergency preparedness. Additional funds are provided for global health, international disaster assistance, economic support, and certain oversight activities.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/R46285", "sha1": "e50700e5ec1a0e85213fefab9b26f5dfdbfa469b", "filename": "files/20200325_R46285_e50700e5ec1a0e85213fefab9b26f5dfdbfa469b.html", "images": {} }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R46285", "sha1": "244a20e7c1e978b211cb80ac117817f28745b8cb", "filename": "files/20200325_R46285_244a20e7c1e978b211cb80ac117817f28745b8cb.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4882, "name": "Public Health Emergency Preparedness & Response" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4896, "name": "State & Foreign Operations Appropriations" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4921, "name": "Labor, HHS, & Education Appropriations" } ] } ], "topics": [ "American Law", "Appropriations", "Domestic Social Policy", "Foreign Affairs", "Health Policy" ] }