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Department of Justice Enforcement Actions Related to COVID-19
From the Memorandum: "As you know. we have seen an unfortunate array of criminal activity related to the ongoing COVID [coronavirus disease]-19 pandemic. Capitalizing on this crisis to reap illicit profits or otherwise preying on Americans is reprehensible and will not be tolerated. I am issuing this Memorandum to inform you of the sorts of schemes that have been reported. to identify certain authorities that I am directing you to consider deploying against these schemes, and to emphasize the importance of state and local coordination during this difficult time."
United States. Department of Justice
2020-03-24
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Responding to the COVID-19 Outbreak with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Authorities
From the Document: "In response to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, some in Congress have suggested using the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program as a vehicle for providing financial relief to states and communities. Congress has regularly instituted a special variant of CDBG for long-term disaster recovery, known as CDBG-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR). This Insight considers the potential role of CDBG and CDBG-DR as economic development countermeasures to the coronavirus outbreak."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Cecire, Michael H.; Jaroscak, Joseph V.
2020-03-24
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Required Minimum Distributions from Retirement Accounts Under the Economic Stimulus Proposals Related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
From the Document: "On March 22, 2020, the Senate released an updated version of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act containing a provision for suspending the penalty for failure to make the required minimum distribution (RMD) from retirement accounts for 2020. A similar provision was included in a proposal in the House released on March 23, the Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Gravelle, Jane
2020-03-24
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Department of Veterans Affairs: Caregiver Support [March 24, 2020]
From the Summary: "The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have presented a new challenge for the United States as servicemembers returned from combat with serious injuries that may have been fatal in previous conflicts. These servicemembers require ongoing personal care services, which are often provided by family members and loved ones. In recognition of this significant challenge, Congress enacted the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 (P.L. 111- 163), which required the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish specific supports for caregivers of veterans."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sussman, Jared S.
2020-03-24
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Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act: Division T--Revenue Provisions [March 24, 2020]
From the Document: "A number of recently introduced legislative proposals seek to alleviate the adverse economic effects of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] outbreak. One such proposal, the Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act (H.R. 6379), was introduced in the House on March 23, 2020. The proposal includes a number of provisions that would change the tax system, including modifications that would [1] provide a one-time payment to households; [2] temporarily expand the earned income tax credit, child tax credit, and dependent care tax credit; [3] provide employer payroll tax credits for certain hospital expenses and for expanded sick and family leave programs; [4] modify the tax treatment of certain retirement fund withdrawals; and [5] allow net operating loss carrybacks for businesses. This report briefly summarizes the major provisions included in Titles I through IV of Division T of H.R. 6379."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sherlock, Molly F.; Crandall-Hollick, Margot L.; Driessen, Grant A. . . .
2020-03-24
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FY2020 Defense Reprogrammings for Wall Funding: Backgrounder [March 24, 2020]
From the Document: "On February 13, 2020, the Department of Defense (DOD) transferred $3.8 billion from defense procurement programs to the Army Operation and Maintenance account for use by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for the construction of 31 additional barrier projects along the southern border of the United States. The transfers repeated, in part, a process the Department undertook twice in 2019 in conjunction with additional emergency construction transfers detailed below."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Mann, Christopher T.
2020-03-24
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Bolivia Postpones May Elections Amidst COVID-19 Outbreak [March 24, 2020]
From the Document: "On March 22, 2020, Bolivia's Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) suspended preparations for national elections scheduled for May 3 following Interim President Jeanette Añez's declaration of a two-week national quarantine to prevent the spread of COVID [coronavirus disease]-19. Bolivia remains extremely polarized following annulled October 2019 elections alleged to be marred by fraud and the November resignation of President Evo Morales of the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party. Morales's former finance minister Luis Arce had been leading the polls. According to the TSE, the MAS-led Congress may need to enact legislation to select a new election date. The United States remains concerned about the political volatility in Bolivia. The Trump Administration and Congress have supported efforts to ensure the elections are free and fair."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Seelke, Clare Ribando
2020-03-24
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 1611, Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act
This is the Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate as ordered reported by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on March 4, 2020. From the Document: "H.R. 1611 would authorize the President to impose sanctions on individuals who are responsible for holding U.S. nationals hostage, and it would codify the roles and responsibilities of federal agencies involved in freeing hostages. The bill also would require the Department of State to review the cases of U.S. nationals who have been detained overseas, determine whether those nationals are being illegally or improperly held, and report annually to the Congress on those determinations. Finally, the department would be required to develop guidance and disseminate information to government officials and to family members of hostages and detainees on the resources that are available to obtain information about, access to, or the release of those people. CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that enacting H.R. 1611 would have insignificant effects on the federal budget and would, on net, reduce the deficit by insignificant amounts over the 2020-2030 period."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2020-03-24
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 1904, Indian Water Rights Settlement Extension Act
This is the Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate as ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on February 12, 2020. From the Document: "H.R. 1904 would appropriate $120 million to the Reclamation Water Settlements Fund beginning in 2031 and every year thereafter to pay for the cost of any future Indian water settlements entered into during 2031 and future years. The fund was established to provide dedicated funding for federally approved Indian water settlements, which generally require construction of water distribution facilities. Because the appropriation would occur after 2030, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates there would be no effect on the budget over the 2020-2030 period."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2020-03-24
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 5932, Ensuring Chinese Debt Transparency Act of 2020
This is the Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate as passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on March 2, 2020. From the Document: H.R. 5932 would require that U.S. representatives at international financial institutions seek greater transparency about the terms and conditions of any financing provided by the People's Republic of China to other members of those institutions. Because the act would not impose a significant additional administrative burden, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that implementing the legislation would cost less than $500,000 over the 2020-2025 period; any spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2020-03-24
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Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress [March 24, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report presents background information and issues for Congress concerning the Navy's force structure and shipbuilding plans. The current and planned size and composition of the Navy, the annual rate of Navy ship procurement, the capacity of the naval shipbuilding industry, and the prospective affordability of the Navy's shipbuilding plans have been oversight matters for the congressional defense committees for many years. [...] The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's proposed FY2021 shipbuilding program and the Navy's longer-term shipbuilding plans. Decisions that Congress makes on this issue can substantially affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-03-24
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Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act--Tax Relief for Individuals and Businesses [Updated March 24, 2020]
From the Document: "Congress is considering a number of proposals that seek to mitigate the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. One such proposal, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (S. 3548), was introduced in the Senate on March 19, 2020. On March 22, 2020, the Senate released an updated version of the CARES Act. A cloture vote on the motion to proceed on the amended version was rejected on March 22. Tax relief for individuals and businesses in the CARES Act includes [1] a one-time rebate to taxpayers; [2] modification of the tax treatment of certain retirement fund withdrawals and charitable contributions; [3] a delay of employer payroll taxes and taxes paid by certain corporations; and [4] a variety of changes to the tax treatment of business income and net operating losses."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sherlock, Molly F.; Crandall-Hollick, Margot L.; Driessen, Grant A. . . .
2020-03-24
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COVID-19: Legal Considerations for Bringing a New Vaccine to Market [March 24, 2020]
From the Document: "As the number of confirmed COVID [coronavirus disease]-19 cases increases at an accelerating rate, interest has grown in developing a COVID-19 vaccine as an avenue for addressing the pandemic. Media reports indicate that a number of countries and companies are working on developing a vaccine. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the biotechnology company Moderna, Inc., recently initiated the first clinical trials of a potential vaccine in the United States at a hospital in Seattle. However, developing a new vaccine and obtaining approval to market it can take a long time. This Sidebar discusses the licensure (i.e., approval) process for vaccines under the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act) and the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), as well as potential legal avenues for expediting that process to bring a new vaccine to market sooner."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Ward, Erin H.
2020-03-24
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COVID-19 and Federal Procurement Contracts [March 24, 2020]
From the Document: "The COVID [coronavirus disease]-19 pandemic and related mandates and recommendations to practice social distancing, work from home, shelter in place, and self-quarantine impact government contracts by disrupting supply chains and business operations. These disruptions may make it difficult and potentially impossible for some federal contractors to perform government procurement contracts as originally contemplated. Disruptions will likely alter government procurement priorities and have prompted questions about how the novel COVID-19 pandemic might affect federal acquisitions and government contractor performance. The pandemic's effect on existing federal contracts will depend in large part upon agency needs, the duration of pandemic response actions, and each contract's type and terms. Legal principles underlying standard contract clauses that often must be incorporated in procurement contracts under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and agency-specific FAR supplements like the Department of Defense's (DoD's) Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) will likely guide how agencies and contractors respond to the pandemic. Additionally, federal emergency response laws, such as the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act) and the Defense Production Act of 1950 (DPA), could impact how agencies acquire goods and services to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Carpenter, David Hatcher
2020-03-24
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Money Market Mutual Funds: A Financial Stability Case Study [Updated March 24, 2020]
From the Document: "A money market mutual fund (MMF) is a mutual fund that under Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Rule 2a7 can invest only in high-quality, short-term debt securities, such as U.S. Treasury bills or commercial paper (a type of corporate debt). MMFs are commonly considered as safe alternatives to bank deposits, although they are not federally insured like bank deposits. However, this perceived-to-be-safe financial instrument triggered major market disruptions in 2008 that accelerated the 2007-2009 financial crisis. At the time, the Treasury Department and the Fed developed multiple intervention tools. As the 2020 coronavirus-induced market stress continues, some of the same tools are being reconsidered. The Fed reintroduced its MMF facility. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020 (S. 3548) also proposes to permit a Treasury Department guarantee program for temporary use during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Su, Eva
2020-03-24
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Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce: Ensuring Community and National Resilience in COVID-19 Response [March 23, 2020]
From the Document: "The attached list identifies workers who conduct a range of operations and services that are essential to continued critical infrastructure viability, including staffing operations centers, maintaining and repairing critical infrastructure, operating call centers, working construction, and performing management functions, among others. The industries they support represent, but are not necessarily limited to, medical and healthcare, telecommunications, information technology systems, defense, food and agriculture, transportation and logistics, energy, water and wastewater, law enforcement, and public works."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
Krebs, Christopher
2020-03-23
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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Response
From the Document: "[1] The federal government continues taking aggressive and proactive steps to address the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The health and safety of the American people is our top priority. [2] Under the direction of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, FEMA, HHS [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services] and our federal partners are working with state, local, tribal and territorial governments to execute a whole of government response to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and protect the public."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2020-03-23
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Briefing With Senior State Department Officials On COVID-19: Updates on Health Impact and Assistance for American Citizens Abroad
From Senior State Department Official One: "Good afternoon, everybody. [Senior State Department Official One] here. The COVID [coronavirus diease]-19 pandemic is an unprecedented global challenge, one that has affected a great number of Americans abroad. Here at the Department of State, we're rising to meet that challenge. We're working around the clock to bring U.S. citizens who are stranded overseas back home. Our consular officers posted overseas and our local - their local employee colleagues have been working night and day to help Americans get on flights. And, as [Moderator Two] just said, there's a 24-7 task force here in Washington supporting that effort. Though we stood up the task force last week, this was not our first effort to bring Americans home in response to this pandemic. We evacuated over 800 people from Wuhan and over 300 from the Diamond Princess in Japan. In date - in total to date, we have brought home more than 5,000 Americans from 17 countries, and we're bringing home thousands more in the coming days and weeks. This is truly an unprecedented effort to bring Americans from every region of the world in these rapidly changing conditions on the ground."
United States. Department of State
2020-03-23
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Iran: COVID-19 Disinformation Fact-Sheet
From the Facts: "[1] Iran's lack of transparency about its coronavirus outbreak has resulted in a catastrophic public health risk to the Iranian people, as well as to Iran's neighbors. [2] Instead of halting flights to China when the risk of contagion was clear, the regime threatened and imprisoned dozens of Iranians who told the truth about the outbreak. The regime encouraged large public gatherings to try to bolster its legitimacy, with no regard for the health risk to Iranian citizens. [3] The regime is hiding a significant amount of information about the coronavirus outbreak. It is likely far worse that the regime is admitting. This lack of transparency poses a significant health risk to the Iranian people, as well as to Iran's neighbors."
United States. Department of State
2020-03-23
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Majority Staff Report Examining Voting Options During the COVID-19 Pandemic
From the Introduction: "This is a moment of national emergency. One that comes with a unique set of challenges. Americans are being asked to stay home. Americans are being asked to socially distance themselves from their neighbors, colleagues, friends, and even family. Yet others are being asked to put themselves at risk to take care of the sick, protect their communities, and keep the supply chains running. Likewise, Congress must be prepared to do the urgent work of responding to the massive challenges we face as a country. That work must proceed thoughtfully, while keeping public safety at the forefront and at the same time preserving the integrity of the institution. Since the onset of the COVID [coronavirus]-19 pandemic, the Rules Committee has heard from Members who want to come back to Washington and vote on critical legislation, and Members who want to implement remote voting due to concerns Congress will be unable to pass legislation while also protecting the health of Members, staff, and the public. While these concerns are completely valid, implementing remote voting would raise serious security, logistical, and constitutional challenges."
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Rules
2020-03-23
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Prioritization of Survey Activities
From the Memorandum Summary: "[1] 'The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is committed' to taking critical steps to ensure America's health care facilities are prepared to respond to the threat of disease caused by the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). [2] On Friday, March 13, 2020, the President declared a national emergency, which triggers the Secretary's ability to authorize waivers or modifications of certain requirements pursuant to section 1135 of the Social Security Act (the Act). Under section 1135(b)(5) of the Act, CMS is prioritizing surveys by authorizing modification of timetables and deadlines for the performance of certain required activities, delaying revisit surveys, and generally exercising enforcement discretion for three weeks."
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (U.S.)
2020-03-23
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Executive Order 13910: Preventing Hoarding of Health and Medical Resources to Respond to the Spread of COVID-19
From the Section 1: "In Proclamation 9994 of March 13, 2020 (Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID- 19) Outbreak), I declared a national emergency recognizing the threat that the novel (new) coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2 poses to our Nation's healthcare systems. In recognizing the public health risk, I noted that on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization announced that the outbreak of COVID-19 (the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2) can be characterized as a pandemic. I also noted that while the Federal Government, along with State and local governments, have taken preventive and proactive measures to slow the spread of the virus and to treat those affected, the spread of COVID-19 within our Nation's communities threatens to strain our Nation's healthcare systems. To further deal with this threat, on March 18, 2020, I issued Executive Order 13909 (Prioritizing and Allocating Health and Medical Resources to Respond to the Spread of COVID-19), in which I delegated to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary) the prioritization and allocation authority under section 101 of the Act with respect to health and medical resources needed to respond to the spread of COVID-19."
United States. Office of the Federal Register
Trump, Donald, 1946-
2020-03-23
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COVID-19 Response Plan: Incident-specific Annex to the VHA High Consequence Infection (HCI) Base Plan
From the Executive Summary: "The primary goal of the operations plan is to protect Veterans and staff from acquiring COVID [coronavirus disease]-19 infection by leveraging technology, communications as well as using dedicated staff and space to care for COVID-19 patients. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will create a safe environment by implementing a system where one VA facility operates as two separate 'zones' (Standard and COVID-19) for inpatient care. VA will provide most outpatient care for Veterans through telehealth services as appropriate. This approach minimizes the risk of infection, supports expansion to meet an increasing need for COVID-19 services, and provides Veterans in routine VA care consistent access to VA care. The plan includes strategies to address a large number of COVID-19 cases to include alternative sites of care for Veterans with COVID-19."
United States. Veterans Health Administration
2020-03-23
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Emergency Funding for Public Transportation Agencies Due to COVID-19 [March 23, 2020]
From the Document: "The COVID-19 pandemic has reportedly resulted in a swift and large loss of public transportation ridership and fare revenue. Examples in the early days of the crisis include an 88% loss of ridership for New Jersey Transit, a 60% loss of subway ridership for New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority, a 60% loss for Denver's Regional Transportation District, and a 90% loss for Bay Area Rapid Transit in San Francisco. Many transit agencies, including the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, have responded by cutting service, encouraging people to travel only when necessary, and requiring riders to enter buses through the rear doors without paying a fare. Fare revenue losses are likely to be compounded by a less immediate decline in local tax revenue dedicated to transit agency budgets, particularly sales and property taxes. In 2018, fare revenue was 31% of operating budgets and 22% of overall transit agency funding. Taxes dedicated directly to transit agencies were another 12% of overall funding. With both of these revenue sources under pressure, many transit agencies will likely find it difficult to meet current commitments, such as staff pay and benefits, and to restore service to previous levels once passenger demand rebounds."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Mallett, William J.
2020-03-23
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Capacity Audit of FEMA Grant Funds Awarded to the Puerto Rico Department of Housing
From the Document: "The DHS Office of Inspector General contracted with Williams Adley to conduct an audit to determine whether FEMA ensured PRDOH [Puerto Rico Department of Housing] established and implemented policies, procedures, and practices to ensure PA [Public Assistance] grant funds awarded to disaster areas are accounted for and expended according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidance."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2020-03-23
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United Nations Issues: U.S. Funding of U.N. Peacekeeping [Updated March 23, 2020]
From the Document: "The United States is the single largest financial contributor to United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping activities. Congress authorizes and appropriates U.S. contributions, and it has an ongoing interest in ensuring such funding is used as efficiently and effectively as possible. The United States, as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, plays a key role in establishing, renewing, and funding U.N. peacekeeping operations. For 2020, the United Nations assessed the U.S. share of U.N. peacekeeping budgets at 27.89%; however, since 1994 Congress has capped the U.S. payment at 25% due to concerns that U.S. assessments are too high. For FY2021, the Trump Administration proposed $1.07 billion for U.N. peacekeeping, a 29% decrease from the enacted FY2020 level of $1.52 billion."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchfield, Luisa
2020-03-23
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U.S. Sanctions on Russia: An Overview [Updated March 23, 2020]
From the Document: "The United States has imposed sanctions on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine, election interference, other malicious cyber activities, human rights abuses, use of a chemical weapon, weapons proliferation, illicit trade with North Korea, and support to Syria and Venezuela. Sanctions against Russian persons (defined to include individuals, entities, vessels, and aircraft) may include blocking of assets subject to U.S. jurisdiction; limits on access to the U.S. financial system, including transactions involving U.S. individuals and businesses; and denial of entry into the United States. The United States also tightly controls exports to Russia's defense and energy sectors."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Rennack, Dianne E.; Welt, Cory
2020-03-23
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Federal Reserve: Recent Actions in Response to COVID-19 [Updated March 23, 2020]
From the Document: "Coronavirus (COVID-19) has created significant economic disruption. In response, the Federal Reserve (Fed) has taken a number of steps to promote economic and financial stability involving the Fed's monetary policy and 'lender of last resort' roles. Some of these actions are intended to stimulate economic activity by reducing interest rates and others are intended to provide liquidity to financial markets so that firms have access to needed funding."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Labonte, Marc
2020-03-23
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FEMA's Advance Contract Strategy for Disasters in Puerto Rico
From the Document: "The 'Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006' requires FEMA to maximize the use of advance contracts to expedite the acquisition of supplies and services during emergencies. FEMA introduced advance contracts as a way to expedite the acquisition of supplies and services during emergencies. Our objective was to determine to what extent FEMA's planning for advance contracts in Puerto Rico addresses identified capability deficiencies and needs. [...] We made four recommendations to help FEMA improve its strategy for advance contracts, its process for identifying capability needs and gaps, and its contract file management practices."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2020-03-23
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COVID-19 and Direct Payments to Individuals: Summary of the 2020 Recovery Rebates in the CARES Act, as Circulated March 22 [March 23, 2020]
From the Document: "Legislative text of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, circulated on Sunday, March 22, 2020, proposes direct payments to individuals and families--'2020 recovery rebates.' This Insight provides a brief overview of the proposed 2020 recovery rebates included in the text circulated on March 22, which differ from those included in the legislation introduced on March 19. The proposed 2020 recovery rebates equal $1,200 per person ($2,400 for married taxpayers filing a joint tax return) and $500 per child. These amounts would phase down for higher-income taxpayers. These payments are structured as tax credits automatically advanced to households in 2020 'if they filed a 2019 income tax return' and would be received as a direct deposit or check by mail. If a 2019 return had not been filed, rebates would be advanced automatically based on 2018 return information."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Crandall-Hollick, Margot L.
2020-03-23
