[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6358 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6358
To authorize supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2020 for
community development block grants, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 23, 2020
Mr. Lynch introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Financial Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2020 for
community development block grants, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS.
(a) Funding and Allocations.--
(1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated $12,000,000,000 for assistance in accordance
with this section under the community development block grant
program under title I of the Housing and Community Development
Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.).
(2) Initial allocation.--$6,000,000,000 of the amount made
available pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be distributed
pursuant to section 106 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5306) to
grantees and such allocations shall be made within 30 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(3) Subsequent allocation.--
(A) In general.--The $6,000,000,000 made available
pursuant to paragraph (1) that remains after allocation
pursuant to paragraph (2) shall be allocated, not later
than 45 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, directly to States to prevent, prepare for, and
respond to coronavirus within the State, including
activities within entitlement and nonentitlement
communities, based on public health needs, risk of
transmission of coronavirus, number of coronavirus
cases compared to the national average, and economic
and housing market disruptions, and other factors, as
determined by the Secretary, using best available data.
(B) Technical assistance.--Of the amount referred
to in subparagraph (A), $10,000,000 shall be made
available for capacity building and technical
assistance to support the use of such amounts to
expedite or facilitate infectious disease response.
(4) Direct distribution.--Of the amount made available
pursuant to paragraph (1), $3,000,000,000 shall be distributed
directly to States and units of general local government, at
the discretion of the Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development (in this section referred to as the ``Secretary''),
according to a formula based on factors to be determined by the
Secretary, prioritizing risk of transmission of coronavirus,
number of coronavirus cases compared to the national average,
and economic and housing market disruptions resulting from
coronavirus.
(5) Rolling allocations.--Allocations under this subsection
may be made on a rolling basis as additional needs develop and
data becomes available.
(6) Best available data.--The Secretary shall make all
allocations under this subsection based on the best available
data at the time of allocation.
(b) Eligible Activities.--Amounts made available pursuant to
subsection (a) may be used only for--
(1) eligible activities described in 105(a) of the Housing
and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5305(a))
relating to preventing, preparing for, or responding to the
public health emergency relating to Coronavirus Disease 2019
(COVID-19); and
(2) reimbursement of costs for such eligible activities
relating to preventing, preparing for, or responding to
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) that were accrued before
the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Inapplicability of Public Services Cap.--The limitation under
paragraph (8) of section 105(a) of the Housing and Community
Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(8)) on the amount that may
be used for activities under such paragraph shall not apply with
respect to--
(1) amounts made available pursuant to subsection (a); and
(2) amounts made available in preceding appropriation Acts
for fiscal years 2019 and 2020 for carrying out title I of the
Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, to the extent
such amounts are used for activities described in subsection
(b) of this section.
(d) Waivers.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may waive, or specify
alternative requirements for, any provision of any statute or
regulation that the Secretary administers in connection with
the use of amounts made available pursuant to subsection (a)(1)
and for fiscal years 2019 and 2020 (except for requirements
related to fair housing, nondiscrimination, labor standards,
and the environment), if the Secretary finds that good cause
exists for the waiver or alternative requirement and such
waiver or alternative requirement would not be inconsistent
with the overall purpose of title I of the Housing and
Community Development Act of 1974, including for the purposes
of addressing the impact of coronavirus.
(2) Notice.--The Secretary shall notify the public through
the Federal Register or other appropriate means 5 days before
the effective date of any such waiver or alternative
requirement in order for such waiver or alternative requirement
to take effect. Such public notice may be provided on the
internet at the appropriate government website or through other
electronic media, as determined by the Secretary.
(e) Statements of Activities; Comprehensive Housing Affordability
Strategies.--
(1) Inapplicability of requirements.--Section 116(b) of
such Act (42 U.S.C. 5316(b); relating to submission of final
statements of activities not later than August 16 of a given
fiscal year) and any implementing regulations shall not apply
to final statements submitted in accordance with paragraphs (2)
and (3) of section 104 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5304(a)) and
comprehensive housing affordability strategies submitted in
accordance with section 105 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National
Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12705) for fiscal years 2019
and 2020.
(2) New requirements.--Final statements and comprehensive
housing affordability strategies shall instead be submitted not
later than August 16, 2021.
(3) Amendments.--Notwithstanding subsections (a)(2),
(a)(3), and (c) of section 104 of the Housing and Community
Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5304) and section 105 of the
Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C.
12705), a grantee may not be required to amend its statement of
activities in order to engage in activities to prevent,
prepare, and respond to coronavirus or the economic and housing
disruption caused by it, but shall make public a report within
180 days of the end of the crisis which fully accounts for such
activities.
(f) Public Hearings.--
(1) Inapplicability of in-person hearing requirements.--A
grantee may not be required to hold in-person public hearings
in connection with its citizen participation plan, but shall
provide citizens with notice and a reasonable opportunity to
comment of not less than 15 days.
(2) Virtual public hearings.--During the period that
national or local health authorities recommend social
distancing and limiting public gatherings for public health
reasons, a grantee may fulfill applicable public hearing
requirements for all grants from funds made available pursuant
to subsection (a)(1) and under the heading ``Department of
Housing and Urban Development--Community Planning and
Development--Community Development Fund'' in appropriation Acts
for fiscal years 2019 and 2020 by carrying out virtual public
hearings. Any such virtual hearings shall provide reasonable
notification and access for citizens in accordance with the
grantee's certifications, timely responses from local officials
to all citizen questions and issues, and public access to all
questions and responses.
(g) Duplication of Benefits.--The Secretary shall ensure there are
adequate procedures in place to prevent any duplication of benefits as
defined by section 312 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5155) and act in accordance with
section 1210 of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 (division D of
Public Law 115-254; 132 Stat. 3442) and section 312 of the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5155).
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