HB 23-02: Coronavirus Containment and Emergency Response Act (Passed)

[thumb21]

CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE ACT

To protect Atlasia from coronavirus

Be it enacted by the Congress of the Republic of Atlasia assembled

SECTION I: TITLE.
This law shall be referred to as the Coronavirus Response Act.

SECTION II: FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:

(a) There is an ongoing global outbreak of COVID-19.
(b) Symptom onset can take up to two weeks from exposure, making the spread of the virus difficult to detect.
(c) The most common symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath.
(d) The virus spreads primarily between people through coughing and sneezing.
(e) COVID-19 is spreading rapidly and Congress finds that an urgent response is nessessary.

SECTION III: DEFINITIONS.

(a) Coronavirus disease 2019 is an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This disease shall by refered to by its acronym "COVID-19" for the purposes of this bill.

SECTION IV: TESTING AND TREATMENT.

(a) Any medical institution capable of conducting testing for COVID-19 shall be required to conduct testing free of charge for any individual regardless of residence or citizenship who meets the following criteria:
 (i) Has interracted an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the preceding 21 days.
 (ii) Has been to, within the preceding 21 days, a region or country designated by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as high risk for COVID-19.
(b) Any individual who has been instructed by a medical professional to self isolate for up to 14 days is required by law to do so.
(c) Employers shall not be permitted to penalise employees for absence if that employee has:
 (i) Been instructed by a medical professional to self-isolate.
 (ii) Tested positive for COVID-19.
(d) The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shall be instructed to maintain facilities capable of providing testing and treatment for COVID-19 within 10 miles of all ports of entry.
(a) Medical institutions shall be required to provide medication, as prescribed by a medical professional, nessessary to treat COVID-19 free of charge.
(b) The National Institutes of Health shall be instructed to conduct extensive research into COVID-19.

SECTION V: APPROPRIATIONS.

(a)The following sums are hereby are appropriated for the purpose of responding to COVID-19 and implementing the provisions of this bill, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated:
 (i) 8.75 billion to the Department of Health and Human Services.
 (ii) 250 million to the Department of State.
 (iii) 1 billion to the Agency for International Development.

SECTION VI: IMPLEMENTATION.

(a) This act shall take effect immediately upon passage.
(b) This act shall remain in effect for 18 months after passage.

Sponsor: Thumb21/Elcaspar
House Designation: HB 23-02

72 hours to debate.

[cinyc]

Why is money being allocated to the Department of State?

[thumb21]

Thanks Elcaspar for co-sponsoring which allowed me to bring this to the floor.

I'll just post this here, which explains basically my thoughts, what this bill does and how hopefully we can co-ordinate with the senate to pass some well needed relief to fight this pandemic.

Thanks Scott for proposing this.

I proposed a bill on Corona in the house a few days ago but have been very busy over the last couple of days so I didn't get a chance to bring it to the floor.

Given how urgent the situation is, it might be a better idea to align the house and senate bills so that both can pass together rather than passing this through the senate immediately so we don't have to wait for this to go through the Senate to House queue.


It seems that the emergency spending in my bill and Scott's are both based on the bill that passed IRL recently, though I removed a lot of the details and simply allocated by department. Would make sense for me to bring the detail in Scott's bill into my bill.

Things that Scott's bill has that mine doesn't:
 - Temporary restrictions on migration (I'll add this to mine once it gets to the floor)

Things that mine has but Scott's doesn't:
 - Free testing and medication to everyone who has been or resides in an area where risk is high or has been in contact with someone who has tested positive.
 - Legal requirement to self isolate if you are instructed to.
 - Protection for employees who need to self isolate from punishment by employers.
 - Requirement for testing facilities near all ports of entry.
 - I increased the numbers a bit from the IRL bill.

Some areas where both bills could expand:
 - We might need to spend more money than both of the bills.
 - I'm not aware of the paid sick leave situation in Atlasia, but a temporary sick leave measure.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Here is the amendment that I submitted to the Senate, which incorporates parts of both the House and Senate bills as well as additional provisions:

A BILL
To make emergency supplemental appropriations for the 2020 fiscal year, and for other purposes

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives, in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Title

This legislation may be cited as the Coronavirus Containment and Emergency Response Act.

Section 2. Findings

Congress finds the following:

(a) There is an ongoing global outbreak of COVID-19.

(b) Symptom onset can take up to two weeks from exposure, making the spread of the virus difficult to detect.

(c) The most common symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath.

(d) The virus spreads primarily between people through coughing and sneezing.

(e) COVID-19 is spreading rapidly and Congress finds that an urgent response is nessessary.

Section 3. Definitions

(a) Coronavirus disease 2019 is an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This disease shall by refered to by its acronym "COVID-19" for the purposes of this bill.

Section 4. Testing and Treatment

(a) Any medical institution capable of conducting testing for COVID-19 shall be required to conduct testing free of charge for any individual regardless of residence or citizenship who meets the following criteria:

(i) Has interacted an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the preceding 21 days.

(ii) Has been to, within the preceding 21 days, a region or country designated by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as high risk for COVID-19.

(b) Any individual who has been instructed by a medical professional to self isolate for up to 14 days is required by law to do so.

(c) Employers shall not be permitted to penalize employees for absence if that employee has:

(i) Been instructed by a medical professional to self-isolate.

(ii) Tested positive for COVID-19.

(d) The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shall be instructed to maintain facilities capable of providing testing and treatment for COVID-19 within 10 miles of all ports of entry.

(e.) Medical institutions shall be required to provide medication, as prescribed by a medical professional, necessary to treat COVID-19 free of charge.

(f.) All private health insurance companies must provide free coronavius testing and waive cost-sharing rules for testing provided to people covered by AtlasCare.

(g.) The National Institutes of Health shall be instructed to conduct extensive research into COVID-19.

Section 5. Mandatory Medical Paid Leave

(a.) All employed people in Atlasia who have been diagnosed with coronavirus or are caring for family members with coronavirus must receive two-thirds of their wages for up to three months.

(b.) All employers must allow their workers to accrue seven days of paid sick leave, with an additional fourteen days available immediately in the event of public health emergencies.

Section 6. Unemployment Benefits

(a.) An additional $1,000,000,000 shall be appropriated to the Atlasian Department of Labor's Unemployment Insurance program for workers who are temporarily discharged from their jobs because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Section 7. Food Aid

(a.) An additional $1,300,000,000 shall be appropriated in emergency food aid for low-income pregnant women and children, senior citizens, and Atlasian Department of Agriculture food banks.  Regions and states may provide SNAP benefits to make up for lost school lunch benefits to children in low-income households if they are kept home from school because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Section 8. Miscellaneous Appropriations

(1.) $61,000,000 shall be available until expended, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally, including the development of necessary medical countermeasures and vaccines, advanced manufacturing for medical products, the monitoring of medical product supply chains.

(2.) $20,000,000 shall be available until expended, that such amounts may be transferred to the Small Business Administration for the cost of direct loans in any fiscal year may be used to make economic injury disaster loans.

(3a.) $2,200,000,000 shall be available, to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, until September 30, 2022, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally.

(3b.) No less than $950,000,000 of the amount provided shall be for grants to or cooperative agreements with Regions, States, localities, territories, tribes, tribal organizations, urban Indian health organizations, or health service providers to tribes, to carry out surveillance, epidemiology, laboratory capacity, infection control, mitigation, communications, and other preparedness and response activities.

(3c.) No less than $300,000,000 shall be for global disease detection and emergency response.

(3d.) Funds appropriated under this Act may be used for grants for the construction, alteration, or renovation of non-Federally owned facilities to improve preparedness and response capability at the Regional, State, and local level.

(3e.) Funds appropriated under this act may be used for purchase and insurance of official motor vehicles in foreign countries.

(4a.) $836,000,000 shall be available for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases until September 30, 2024, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally.

(4b.) $10,000,000 shall be transferred to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences for worker-based training to prevent and reduce exposure of hospital employees, emergency first responders, and other workers who are at risk of exposure to coronavirus through their work duties.

(5a.) $3,100,000,000 shall be available to the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund until September 30, 2024, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally, including the development of necessary countermeasures and vaccines, prioritizing platform-based technologies with Atlasia-based manufacturing capabilities, and the purchase of vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, necessary medical supplies, medical surge capacity, and related administrative activities.

(5b.) Of the amount provided under this heading in this Act, $100,000,000 shall be transferred to “Health Resources and Services Administration—Primary Health Care” for grants under the Health Centers Program to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.

(5c.) For the “Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund”, $300,000,000 shall be available until September 30, 2024, for products purchased as described in the first paragraph under this heading, including the purchase of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.

(6.) For “Diplomatic Programs”, $264,000,000, shall be available until September 30, 2022, for necessary expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, including for maintaining consular operations, reimbursement of evacuation expenses, and emergency preparedness.

(7.) For “Global Health Programs”, $435,000,000, shall be available until September 30, 2022, for necessary expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.

(8.) For “International Disaster Assistance”, $300,000,000, shall be available until expended, for necessary expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.

(9.) For the “Economic Support Fund”, $250,000,000 shall be available until September 30, 2022, for necessary expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, including to address related economic, security, and stabilization requirements.

Section 9. Resolution in Support of Executive Authority to Temporarily Restrict Migration To and From the Republic of Atlasia

Be it resolved, that the President of the Republic of Atlasia may exercise, in times of pandemics and national crises, to unilaterally suspend migration to and from the Republic of Atlasia, for such time as might be necessary.

[thumb21]

Why is money being allocated to the Department of State?

For maintaining consular operations, reimbursement of evacuation expenses, and emergency preparedness. Primarily to support Atlasians in affected regions.

[thumb21]

Great work!

Formally proposing the amendment.

A BILL
To make emergency supplemental appropriations for the 2020 fiscal year, and for other purposes

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives, in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Title

This legislation may be cited as the Coronavirus Containment and Emergency Response Act.

Section 2. Findings

Congress finds the following:

(a) There is an ongoing global outbreak of COVID-19.

(b) Symptom onset can take up to two weeks from exposure, making the spread of the virus difficult to detect.

(c) The most common symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath.

(d) The virus spreads primarily between people through coughing and sneezing.

(e) COVID-19 is spreading rapidly and Congress finds that an urgent response is nessessary.

Section 3. Definitions

(a) Coronavirus disease 2019 is an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This disease shall by refered to by its acronym "COVID-19" for the purposes of this bill.

Section 4. Testing and Treatment

(a) Any medical institution capable of conducting testing for COVID-19 shall be required to conduct testing free of charge for any individual regardless of residence or citizenship who meets the following criteria:

(i) Has interacted an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the preceding 21 days.

(ii) Has been to, within the preceding 21 days, a region or country designated by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as high risk for COVID-19.

(b) Any individual who has been instructed by a medical professional to self isolate for up to 14 days is required by law to do so.

(c) Employers shall not be permitted to penalize employees for absence if that employee has:

(i) Been instructed by a medical professional to self-isolate.

(ii) Tested positive for COVID-19.

(d) The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shall be instructed to maintain facilities capable of providing testing and treatment for COVID-19 within 10 miles of all ports of entry.

(e.) Medical institutions shall be required to provide medication, as prescribed by a medical professional, necessary to treat COVID-19 free of charge.

(f.) AtlasCare and all private health insurance companies must provide free coronavius testing and treatment.

(g.) The National Institutes of Health shall be instructed to conduct extensive research into COVID-19.

Section 5. Mandatory Medical Paid Leave

(a.) All employed people in Atlasia who have been diagnosed with coronavirus or are caring for family members with coronavirus must receive two-thirds of their wages for up to three months.

(b.) All employers must allow their workers to accrue seven days of paid sick leave, with an additional fourteen days available immediately in the event of public health emergencies.

Section 6. Unemployment Benefits

(a.) An additional $1,000,000,000 shall be appropriated to the Atlasian Department of Labor's Unemployment Insurance program for workers who are temporarily discharged from their jobs because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Section 7. Food Aid

(a.) An additional $1,300,000,000 shall be appropriated in emergency food aid for low-income pregnant women and children, senior citizens, and Atlasian Department of Agriculture food banks.  Regions and states may provide SNAP benefits to make up for lost school lunch benefits to children in low-income households if they are kept home from school because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Section 8. Miscellaneous Appropriations

(1.) $61,000,000 shall be available until expended, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally, including the development of necessary medical countermeasures and vaccines, advanced manufacturing for medical products, the monitoring of medical product supply chains.

(2.) $20,000,000 shall be available until expended, that such amounts may be transferred to the Small Business Administration for the cost of direct loans in any fiscal year may be used to make economic injury disaster loans.

(3a.) $2,200,000,000 shall be available, to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, until September 30, 2022, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally.

(3b.) No less than $950,000,000 of the amount provided shall be for grants to or cooperative agreements with Regions, States, localities, territories, tribes, tribal organizations, urban Indian health organizations, or health service providers to tribes, to carry out surveillance, epidemiology, laboratory capacity, infection control, mitigation, communications, and other preparedness and response activities.

(3c.) No less than $300,000,000 shall be for global disease detection and emergency response.

(3d.) Funds appropriated under this Act may be used for grants for the construction, alteration, or renovation of non-Federally owned facilities to improve preparedness and response capability at the Regional, State, and local level.

(3e.) Funds appropriated under this act may be used for purchase and insurance of official motor vehicles in foreign countries.

(4a.) $836,000,000 shall be available for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases until September 30, 2024, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally.

(4b.) $10,000,000 shall be transferred to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences for worker-based training to prevent and reduce exposure of hospital employees, emergency first responders, and other workers who are at risk of exposure to coronavirus through their work duties.

(5a.) $3,100,000,000 shall be available to the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund until September 30, 2024, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally, including the development of necessary countermeasures and vaccines, prioritizing platform-based technologies with Atlasia-based manufacturing capabilities, and the purchase of vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, necessary medical supplies, medical surge capacity, and related administrative activities.

(5b.) Of the amount provided under this heading in this Act, $100,000,000 shall be transferred to “Health Resources and Services Administration—Primary Health Care” for grants under the Health Centers Program to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.

(5c.) For the “Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund”, $300,000,000 shall be available until September 30, 2024, for products purchased as described in the first paragraph under this heading, including the purchase of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.

(6.) For “Diplomatic Programs”, $264,000,000, shall be available until September 30, 2022, for necessary expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, including for maintaining consular operations, reimbursement of evacuation expenses, and emergency preparedness.

(7.) For “Global Health Programs”, $435,000,000, shall be available until September 30, 2022, for necessary expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.

(8.) For “International Disaster Assistance”, $300,000,000, shall be available until expended, for necessary expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.

(9.) For the “Economic Support Fund”, $250,000,000 shall be available until September 30, 2022, for necessary expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, including to address related economic, security, and stabilization requirements.

Section 9. Resolution in Support of Executive Authority to Temporarily Restrict Migration To and From the Republic of Atlasia

Be it resolved, that the President of the Republic of Atlasia may exercise, in times of pandemics and national crises, to unilaterally suspend migration to and from the Republic of Atlasia, for such time as might be necessary.

[cinyc]

Why is money being allocated to the Department of State?

For maintaining consular operations, reimbursement of evacuation expenses, and emergency preparedness. Primarily to support Atlasians in affected regions.

The bill should say that, then. I don't like allocating money without instructions on how it should be used.

[thumb21]

Why is money being allocated to the Department of State?

For maintaining consular operations, reimbursement of evacuation expenses, and emergency preparedness. Primarily to support Atlasians in affected regions.

The bill should say that, then. I don't like allocating money without instructions on how it should be used.

The amendment does.

[cinyc]

Who is paying for this?

Section 5. Mandatory Medical Paid Leave

(a.) All employed people in Atlasia who have been diagnosed with coronavirus or are caring for family members with coronavirus must receive two-thirds of their wages for up to three months.

(b.) All employers must allow their workers to accrue seven days of paid sick leave, with an additional fourteen days available immediately in the event of public health emergencies.

If the employers, money doesn't grow on trees. How can a small business that is already struggling due to this virus afford to pay them?

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Who is paying for this?

Section 5. Mandatory Medical Paid Leave

(a.) All employed people in Atlasia who have been diagnosed with coronavirus or are caring for family members with coronavirus must receive two-thirds of their wages for up to three months.

(b.) All employers must allow their workers to accrue seven days of paid sick leave, with an additional fourteen days available immediately in the event of public health emergencies.

If the employers, money doesn't grow on trees. How can a small business that is already struggling due to this virus afford to pay them?

Read the bill.  Small businesses are covered for economic losses during the pandemic.

(2.) $20,000,000 shall be available until expended, that such amounts may be transferred to the Small Business Administration for the cost of direct loans in any fiscal year may be used to make economic injury disaster loans.

[Fmr. Representative Encke]

Generally supportive of getting this passed ASAP. Can anyone provide a link to the RL bill?

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

One small fix - AtlasCare already covers testing and treatment.  The amendment simply requires private insurance as well as AtlasCare to not charge co-pays.

This is what Section 4.f should read:

(f.) AtlasCare and all private health insurance companies must provide free coronavius testing and treatment.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Generally supportive of getting this passed ASAP. Can anyone provide a link to the RL bill?

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6074/text

[RC (a la Frémont)]

Yeah this needs to be passed ASAP when it gets to the House, though I'd like to amend some timeframes, aligning some funding, and fixing typos here.

A BILL
To make emergency supplemental appropriations for the 2020 fiscal year, and for other purposes

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives, in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Title

This legislation may be cited as the Coronavirus Containment and Emergency Response Act.

Section 2. Findings

Congress finds the following:

(a) There is an ongoing global outbreak of COVID-19.

(b) Symptom onset can take up to two weeks from exposure, making the spread of the virus difficult to detect.

(c) The most common symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath.

(d) The virus spreads primarily between people through coughing and sneezing.

(e) COVID-19 is spreading rapidly and Congress finds that an urgent response is necessary.

Section 3. Definitions

(a) Coronavirus disease 2019 is an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This disease shall be referred to by its acronym "COVID-19" for the purposes of this bill.

Section 4. Testing and Treatment

(a) Any medical institution capable of conducting testing for COVID-19 shall be required to conduct testing free of charge for any individual regardless of residence or citizenship who meets the following criteria:

(i) Has interacted an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the preceding 21 15 days.

(ii) Has been to, within the preceding 21 15 days, a region or country designated by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as high risk for COVID-19.

(b) Any individual who has been instructed by a medical professional to self isolate for up to 14 days is required by law to do so.

(c) Employers shall not be permitted to penalize employees for absence if that employee has:

(i) Been instructed by a medical professional to self-isolate.

(ii) Tested positive for COVID-19.

(d) The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shall be instructed to maintain facilities capable of providing testing and treatment for COVID-19 within 10 miles of all ports of entry.

(e.) Medical institutions shall be required to provide medication, as prescribed by a medical professional, necessary to treat COVID-19 free of charge.

(f.) All private health insurance companies must provide free coronavirus testing and waive cost-sharing rules for testing provided to people covered by AtlasCare.

(g.) The National Institutes of Health shall be instructed to conduct extensive research into COVID-19.

Section 5. Mandatory Medical Paid Leave

(a.) All employed people in Atlasia who have been diagnosed with coronavirus or are caring for family members with coronavirus must receive two-thirds of their wages for up to three months.

(b.) All employers must allow their workers to accrue seven days of paid sick leave, with an additional fourteen days available immediately in the event of public health emergencies.

Section 6. Unemployment Benefits

(a.) An additional $1,000,000,000 shall be appropriated to the Atlasian Department of Labor's Unemployment Insurance program for workers who are temporarily discharged from their jobs because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Section 7. Food Aid

(a.) An additional $1,300,000,000 shall be appropriated in emergency food aid for low-income pregnant women and children, senior citizens, and Atlasian Department of Agriculture food banks.  Regions and states may provide SNAP benefits to make up for lost school lunch benefits to children in low-income households if they are kept home from school because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Section 8. Miscellaneous Appropriations

(1.) $61,000,000 shall be available until expended, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally, including the development of necessary medical countermeasures and vaccines, advanced manufacturing for medical products, the monitoring of medical product supply chains.

(2.) $20,000,000 shall be available until expended, that such amounts may be transferred to the Small Business Administration for the cost of direct loans in any fiscal year may be used to make economic injury disaster loans.

(3a.) $2,200,000,000 shall be available, to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, until September 30, 2022, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally.

(3b.) No less than $950,000,000 of the amount provided shall be for grants to or cooperative agreements with Regions, States, localities, territories, tribes, tribal organizations, urban Indian health organizations, or health service providers to tribes, to carry out surveillance, epidemiology, laboratory capacity, infection control, mitigation, communications, and other preparedness and response activities.

(3c.) No less than $300,000,000 shall be for global disease detection and emergency response.

(3d.) Funds appropriated under this Act may be used for grants for the construction, alteration, or renovation of non-Federally owned facilities to improve preparedness and response capability at the Regional, State, and local level.

(3e.) Funds appropriated under this act may be used for purchase and insurance of official motor vehicles in foreign countries.

(4a.) $836,000,000 shall be available for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases until September 30, 2024, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally.

(4b.) $10,000,000 shall be transferred to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences for worker-based training to prevent and reduce exposure of hospital employees, emergency first responders, and other workers who are at risk of exposure to coronavirus through their work duties.

(5a.) $3,100,000,000 1,550,000,000 shall be available to the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund until September 30, 2024 2022, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally, including the development of necessary countermeasures and vaccines, prioritizing platform-based technologies with Atlasia-based manufacturing capabilities, and the purchase of vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, necessary medical supplies, medical surge capacity, and related administrative activities.

(5b.) Of the amount provided under this heading in this Act, $100,000,000 shall be transferred to “Health Resources and Services Administration—Primary Health Care” for grants under the Health Centers Program to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.

(5c.) For the “Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund”, $300,000,000 shall be available until September 30, 2024, for products purchased as described in the first paragraph under this heading, including the purchase of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.

(6.) For “Diplomatic Programs”, $264,000,000, shall be available until September 30, 2022, for necessary expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, including for maintaining consular operations, reimbursement of evacuation expenses, and emergency preparedness.

(7.) For “Global Health Programs”, $435,000,000, shall be available until September 30, 2022, for necessary expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.

(8.) For “International Disaster Assistance”, $300,000,000, shall be available until expended, for necessary expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.

(9.) For the “Economic Support Fund”, $250,000,000 shall be available until September 30, 2022, for necessary expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, including to address related economic, security, and stabilization requirements.

Section 9. Resolution in Support of Executive Authority to Temporarily Restrict Migration To and From the Republic of Atlasia

Be it resolved, that the President of the Republic of Atlasia may exercise, in times of pandemics and national crises, to unilaterally suspend migration to and from the Republic of Atlasia, for such time as might be necessary.

[thumb21]

Yeah this needs to be passed ASAP when it gets to the House, though I'd like to amend some timeframes, aligning some funding, and fixing typos here.

Just to be clear, this isn't going through the house senate queue. The plan is to pass the exact same bill through both chambers so bypass the queue - so if you want to amend, please also talk to senators.

On the amendment itself, I think if anything we should be increasing the money we are spending given how much this is escalating and I think some extra lee-way to 21 days on the free tests makes sense - given the importance of being able to test and diagnose to stopping the spread of the virus.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

I don't really want to squabble over amounts and time frames, but those in the bill that passed RL Congress and signed by Trump were, I believe, sufficient, and we shouldn't pass a weaker version of the law that passed IRL considering the gravity of this crisis.

I plan to open a final vote in the Senate at the end of tonight on the amended bill.

[thumb21]

Although 24 hours is up on that amendment, I'm gonna suspend the rules, formally object to this amendment and put it to a vote.

I'd hope that the amendment can be withdrawn so we can pass this immediately rather than having time consuming ping-pong between the chambers. That might take weeks and I hope we recognise that this bill is urgent.

I'm also motioning for a final vote to happen after the amendment vote.


Amendment vote

48 hours

[thumb21]

Scott's amendment is also adopted ftr.

[thumb21]

Nay

[Leinad]

Nay

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

My amended version of the bill has passed the Senate unanimously.  I urge the House to reject this amendment and proceed to a final vote as quickly as possible.

A BILL
To make emergency supplemental appropriations for the 2020 fiscal year, and for other purposes

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives, in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Title

This legislation may be cited as the Coronavirus Containment and Emergency Response Act.

Section 2. Findings

Congress finds the following:

(a) There is an ongoing global outbreak of COVID-19.

(b) Symptom onset can take up to two weeks from exposure, making the spread of the virus difficult to detect.

(c) The most common symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath.

(d) The virus spreads primarily between people through coughing and sneezing.

(e) COVID-19 is spreading rapidly and Congress finds that an urgent response is nessessary.

Section 3. Definitions

(a) Coronavirus disease 2019 is an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This disease shall by refered to by its acronym "COVID-19" for the purposes of this bill.

Section 4. Testing and Treatment

(a) Any medical institution capable of conducting testing for COVID-19 shall be required to conduct testing free of charge for any individual regardless of residence or citizenship who meets the following criteria:

(i) Has interacted an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the preceding 21 days.

(ii) Has been to, within the preceding 21 days, a region or country designated by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as high risk for COVID-19.

(b) Any individual who has been instructed by a medical professional to self isolate for up to 14 days is required by law to do so.

(c) Employers shall not be permitted to penalize employees for absence if that employee has:

(i) Been instructed by a medical professional to self-isolate.

(ii) Tested positive for COVID-19.

(d) The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shall be instructed to maintain facilities capable of providing testing and treatment for COVID-19 within 10 miles of all ports of entry.

(e.) Medical institutions shall be required to provide medication, as prescribed by a medical professional, necessary to treat COVID-19 free of charge.

(f.) AtlasCare and all private health insurance companies must provide free coronavius testing and treatment.

(g.) The National Institutes of Health shall be instructed to conduct extensive research into COVID-19.

Section 5. Mandatory Medical Paid Leave

(a.) All employed people in Atlasia who have been diagnosed with coronavirus or are caring for family members with coronavirus must receive two-thirds of their wages for up to three months.

(b.) All employers must allow their workers to accrue seven days of paid sick leave, with an additional fourteen days available immediately in the event of public health emergencies.

Section 6. Unemployment Benefits

(a.) An additional $1,000,000,000 shall be appropriated to the Atlasian Department of Labor's Unemployment Insurance program for workers who are temporarily discharged from their jobs because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Section 7. Food Aid

(a.) An additional $1,300,000,000 shall be appropriated in emergency food aid for low-income pregnant women and children, senior citizens, and Atlasian Department of Agriculture food banks.  Regions and states may provide SNAP benefits to make up for lost school lunch benefits to children in low-income households if they are kept home from school because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Section 8. Miscellaneous Appropriations

(1.) $61,000,000 shall be available until expended, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally, including the development of necessary medical countermeasures and vaccines, advanced manufacturing for medical products, the monitoring of medical product supply chains.

(2.) $20,000,000 shall be available until expended, that such amounts may be transferred to the Small Business Administration for the cost of direct loans in any fiscal year may be used to make economic injury disaster loans.

(3a.) $2,200,000,000 shall be available, to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, until September 30, 2022, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally.

(3b.) No less than $950,000,000 of the amount provided shall be for grants to or cooperative agreements with Regions, States, localities, territories, tribes, tribal organizations, urban Indian health organizations, or health service providers to tribes, to carry out surveillance, epidemiology, laboratory capacity, infection control, mitigation, communications, and other preparedness and response activities.

(3c.) No less than $300,000,000 shall be for global disease detection and emergency response.

(3d.) Funds appropriated under this Act may be used for grants for the construction, alteration, or renovation of non-Federally owned facilities to improve preparedness and response capability at the Regional, State, and local level.

(3e.) Funds appropriated under this act may be used for purchase and insurance of official motor vehicles in foreign countries.

(4a.) $836,000,000 shall be available for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases until September 30, 2024, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally.

(4b.) $10,000,000 shall be transferred to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences for worker-based training to prevent and reduce exposure of hospital employees, emergency first responders, and other workers who are at risk of exposure to coronavirus through their work duties.

(5a.) $3,100,000,000 shall be available to the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund until September 30, 2024, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally, including the development of necessary countermeasures and vaccines, prioritizing platform-based technologies with Atlasia-based manufacturing capabilities, and the purchase of vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, necessary medical supplies, medical surge capacity, and related administrative activities.

(5b.) Of the amount provided under this heading in this Act, $100,000,000 shall be transferred to “Health Resources and Services Administration—Primary Health Care” for grants under the Health Centers Program to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.

(5c.) For the “Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund”, $300,000,000 shall be available until September 30, 2024, for products purchased as described in the first paragraph under this heading, including the purchase of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.

(6.) For “Diplomatic Programs”, $264,000,000, shall be available until September 30, 2022, for necessary expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, including for maintaining consular operations, reimbursement of evacuation expenses, and emergency preparedness.

(7.) For “Global Health Programs”, $435,000,000, shall be available until September 30, 2022, for necessary expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.

(8.) For “International Disaster Assistance”, $300,000,000, shall be available until expended, for necessary expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.

(9.) For the “Economic Support Fund”, $250,000,000 shall be available until September 30, 2022, for necessary expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, including to address related economic, security, and stabilization requirements.

Section 9. Resolution in Support of Executive Authority to Temporarily Restrict Migration To and From the Republic of Atlasia

Be it resolved, that the President of the Republic of Atlasia may exercise, in times of pandemics and national crises, to unilaterally suspend migration to and from the Republic of Atlasia, for such time as might be necessary.

People's Regional Senate
Passed 6-0-0 in the Atlasian Senate assembled,


Deputy President Pro Tempore

[cinyc]

Nay on the amendment, if that's what we're still voting on.

[Lumine]

Nay.

[Fmr. Representative Encke]

Nay.

[thumb21]

The amendment has enough votes to fail, 24 more hours to change your vote, or to vote if you haven't.