Families First Coronavirus Response Act

Families First Coronavirus Response Act This bill responds to the coronavirus outbreak by providing paid sick leave and free coronavirus testing, expanding food assistance and unemployment benefits, and requiring employers to provide additional protections for health care workers. Specifically, the bill provides FY2020 supplemental appropriations to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) for nutrition and food assistance programs, including the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP); and nutrition assistance grants for U.S. territories. The bill also provides FY2020 appropriations to the Department of Health and Human Services for nutrition programs that assist the elderly. The supplemental appropriations provided by the bill are designated as emergency spending, which is exempt from discretionary spending limits. The bill modifies USDA food assistance and nutrition programs to allow certain waivers to requirements for the school meal programs, suspend the work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program), and allow states to request waivers to provide certain emergency SNAP benefits. In addition, the bill requires the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue an emergency temporary standard that requires certain employers to develop and implement a comprehensive infectious disease exposure control plan to protect health care workers. The bill also includes provisions that establish a federal emergency paid leave benefits program to provide payments to employees taking unpaid leave due to the coronavirus outbreak, expand unemployment benefits and provide grants to states for processing and paying claims, require employers to provide paid sick leave to employees, establish requirements for providing coronavirus diagnostic testing at no cost to consumers, treat personal respiratory protective devices as covered countermeasures that are eligible for certain liability protections, and temporarily increase the Medicaid federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP).

Engrossment Correction

Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S1790-1796)

Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate, under the order of 3/18/20, having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 90 - 8. Record Vote Number: 76.

Passed Senate, under the order of 3/18/20, having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 90 - 8. Record Vote Number: 76.

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

Presented to President.

Presented to President.

Signed by President.

Signed by President.

Became Public Law No: 116-127.

Became Public Law No: 116-127.

Received in the Senate, read twice.

Mrs. Lowey moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1675-1691)

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6201.

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 363 - 40, 1 Present (Roll no. 102).

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 363 - 40, 1 Present (Roll no. 102). (text: CR H1675-1687)

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

The Clerk was authorized to correct section numbers, punctuation, and cross references, and to make other necessary technical and conforming corrections in the engrossment of H.R. 6201.

Introduced in House

Introduced in House

Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.