{ "id": "IN11236", "type": "CRS Insight", "typeId": "INSIGHTS", "number": "IN11236", "active": true, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 619516, "date": "2020-03-12", "retrieved": "2020-03-13T13:05:10.055294", "title": "Oversight Provisions in H.R. 6074, the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act", "summary": "President Donald Trump signed H.R. 6074, the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, on March 6, 2020. It provides a total of $8.3 billion in supplemental funding to support the response of the United States to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). \nPrior to the passage of H.R. 6074, Congress had already begun to oversee the federal government\u2019s response to COVID-19 with committee hearings in both the House and the Senate. Other committees are planning additional hearings in the coming weeks, and the Trump Administration has also been providing regular briefings.\nThis voluntary flow of information among Congress, senior Administration leaders, and frontline experts will facilitate Congress\u2019s response to COVID-19. If lines of communication remain open, voluntary information sharing may prove to be sufficient to meet Congress\u2019s needs and expectations for oversight. However, H.R. 6074 makes explicit a number of requirements regarding both the type and frequency of information Congress will receive. \nH.R. 6074 appropriates significant funding for specific responses to COVID-19 and sets explicit requirements regarding how funds may be spent. The specificity of these conditions, as well as ongoing development of the outbreak, make it particularly important that Congress receive information in a timely manner. Even relatively short delays may prevent Congress from ensuring that the executive branch is following its instructions. The reporting requirements in H.R. 6074 are designed to improve the executive branch\u2019s ability to provide timely information to Congress.\nThis Insight details the oversight provisions included in H.R. 6074. CRS has produced several other written products related to COVID-19, some of which are linked at the bottom of this Insight. All CRS materials on the subject are available on CRS.gov.\nConsultation and Reporting Requirements in H.R. 6074\nH.R. 6074 creates the following reporting requirements for entities receiving supplemental appropriations:\nTitle III appropriates $300 million to be transferred into the Infectious Disease Rapid Response Reserve Fund. If the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declares an infectious disease emergency and seeks to use the fund (as authorized by the third proviso of Section 231 of Division B of P.L. 115-245), the Secretary must, in consultation with the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, report to the Appropriations Committees every 14 days for one year from the date of the declaration \u201cas long as such report[s] would detail obligations in excess of $5,000,000\u201d or upon the request of either committee.\nTitle III also appropriates $300 million to the HHS Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund for the purchase of \u201cvaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics\u201d to respond to COVID-19. In order to access these funds, the HHS Secretary must certify to the Appropriations Committees that the funds are necessary in addition to other funds appropriated in the bill.\nSection 302 authorizes the HHS Secretary to enter into personal services contracts to respond to COVID-19 following notification to the Appropriations Committees.\nSection 305 requires that the HHS Secretary provide to the Appropriations Committees a detailed spend plan for the funds appropriated to HHS no later than 30 days after enactment of the act (i.e., April 6). HHS is required to update the plan every 60 days until September 30, 2024. Each spend plan submission must also include a listing of all new contract obligations in excess of $5 million and the amount of each of those obligations.\nSection 401 establishes that funds appropriated under Title IV of the act to the Department of State and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are subject to the \u201cregular notification procedures\u201d of the Appropriations Committees. This requirement does not apply to $300 million appropriated for International Disaster Assistance.\nSection 404 allows funds appropriated in the act for Global Health Programs and the Economic Support Fund to be contributed to international organizations following consultation with the Appropriations Committees.\nSection 406(a) requires the Secretary of State and the USAID administrator to submit a strategy to \u201cprevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus abroad\u201d to the Appropriations Committees within 15 days of the enactment of the act (i.e., March 21).\nSection 406(b) requires the Secretary of State and the USAID administrator to provide the Appropriations Committees a report on the proposed uses of appropriated funds by country and project no later than 30 days after enactment (i.e., April 6). It also requires updates every 60 days until September 30, 2022, and then every 180 days until all funds have been expended.\nSection 505 requires the comptroller general of United States to consult with the Appropriations Committees on the \u201coversight of activities supported with funds appropriated by this Act.\u201d\nH.R. 6074 also includes several provisions amending existing transfer authorities and authorizing the transfer of funds between specified accounts, subject to notification of the Appropriations Committees.\nSupplemental Funding for Select Inspectors General\nA portion of the supplemental funding appropriated in H.R. 6074 is directed to the Offices of the Inspectors General for HHS and USAID. Section 306 provides for the transfer of up to $2 million from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund to the Office of the Inspector General for HHS. The inspector general is required to consult with the Appropriations Committees prior to the obligation of funds regarding how such funds will be used.\nH.R. 6074 also appropriates $1 million to the Office of the Inspector General for USAID for the oversight of USAID activities funded by the act.\nFor More Information\nCRS Report R46219, Overview of U.S. Domestic Response to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), coordinated by Sarah A. Lister and Kavya Sekar \nCRS In Focus IF11421, COVID-19: Global Implications and Responses, by Sara M. Tharakan et al. \nCRS Legal Sidebar LSB10415, COVID-19: Current Travel Restrictions and Quarantine Measures, by Edward C. Liu \nCRS Report R46209, Coronavirus Disease Outbreak (COVID-19): CRS Experts, by Matthew B. Barry", "type": "CRS Insight", "typeId": "INSIGHTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/IN11236", "sha1": "004586735ebdc58e8fd38e25856be14a18757365", "filename": "files/20200312_IN11236_004586735ebdc58e8fd38e25856be14a18757365.html", "images": {} }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/IN11236", "sha1": "1c869a694f1c7b50c7dc251ac4b88352dc1c357b", "filename": "files/20200312_IN11236_1c869a694f1c7b50c7dc251ac4b88352dc1c357b.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4860, "name": "Oversight" } ] } ], "topics": [ "Appropriations", "CRS Insights", "Foreign Affairs" ] }