Coronavirus Preparedness and Response
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020
(P.L. 116-123): First Coronavirus Supplemental
March 25, 2020

Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
R46285

 SUMMARY

Coronavirus Preparedness and Response
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020
(P.L. 116-123): First Coronavirus Supplemental
In the early months of 2020, the federal government began to express concern over the
global outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). COVID-19 is a viral
respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus. By late January, the Secretary of the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had invoked certain authorities
to direct existing funds to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak. The HHS Secretary
declared COVID-19 to be a Public Health Emergency, effective January 27, 2020.
On February 24, 2020, the Trump Administration submitted an initial emergency
supplemental appropriations request to Congress. The Administration requested $1.25
billion in new funds for the HHS Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund
(PHSSEF) to support COVID-19 response efforts. The request included a number of
other proposals, mostly related to repurposing existing funds from across the
government toward response activities. All told, the Administration estimated needing to
allocate about $2.5 billion toward COVID-19 response efforts.
On March 4, 2020, the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental
Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 6074), was introduced in the House. The bill was passed
by the House (415-2) on March 4 and by the Senate (96-1) on March 5. The bill was
signed into law (P.L. 116-123) on March 6. This supplemental appropriations act is the
first such act to be enacted in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak. Any subsequent
such actions are beyond the scope of the report.

R46285
March 25, 2020
Kavya Sekar, Coordinator
Analyst in Health Policy
Agata Dabrowska
Analyst in Health Policy
Bruce R. Lindsay
Analyst in American
National Government
Sarah A. Lister
Specialist in Public Health
and Epidemiology
Karen E. Lynch
Specialist in Social Policy
Emily M. Morgenstern
Analyst in Foreign
Assistance and Foreign
Policy
Sara M. Tharakan
Analyst in Global Health
and International
Development

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Division A of P.L. 116-123
provides roughly $7.8 billion in discretionary supplemental appropriations. (CBO
estimates that provisions in Division B will cost roughly $490 million, but those
provisions are not the focus of this report.) The funds in Division A of P.L. 116-123 are
primarily intended to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus. (For purposes of the bill, the term
coronavirus refers to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-2019, or another coronavirus with pandemic
potential.)

The majority of the funds in Division A are appropriated to HHS agencies and accounts. In total, the bill
appropriates $6.5 billion to HHS, representing 84% of all funds in the bill. In general, these funds are for health
emergency prevention, preparedness, and response activities related to COVID-19. Funds largely support
domestic activities, but certain accounts include funds that may be allocated for global health activities. The HHS
funds are distributed as follows:


The PHSSEF receives almost half of all funds in Division A, with appropriations totaling $3.4
billion when including $300 million in appropriations that are contingent upon future actions by
HHS. PHSSEF funds are provided for the development of countermeasures and vaccines, as well
as for the purchase of vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, necessary medical supplies, medical
surge capacity, and administrative activities.



The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) receives the next-largest share of all
funds in the supplemental: $2.8 billion, accounting for more than a quarter of all funds in
Division A. In general, these funds are intended to support core public health functions, including
surveillance, laboratory capacity, infection control, and other activities. The funds are also for

Congressional Research Service

 Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020

global disease detection and emergency response, as well as for activities carried out using the
Infectious Diseases Rapid Response Reserve Fund (IDRRRF).
 Remaining HHS funds are appropriated to the Food and Drug Administration ($61 million) and
the National Institutes of Health ($836 million).
In addition to amounts appropriated to HHS, the supplemental provides $20 million in administrative funds for
the Disaster Loans Program Account within the Small Business Administration (SBA). The supplemental also
includes provisions clarifying that SBA disaster loans and economic injury disaster loans may be made in
response to COVID-19. Finally, the supplemental provides nearly $1.3 billion (about 16% of all funds in Division
A) to support foreign operations activities across several agencies and funding mechanisms. This includes funding
to help the Department of State maintain consular operations, reimburse for evacuation expenses, and support
emergency preparedness. Additional funds are provided for global health, international disaster assistance,
economic support, and certain oversight activities.

Congressional Research Service

 Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020

Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1
Lead-Up to Enactment .............................................................................................................. 1
Overview of the Supplemental .................................................................................................. 2
Health and Human Services (HHS) ................................................................................................. 3
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ...................................................................................... 3
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ................................................................. 4
National Institutes of Health (NIH) ........................................................................................... 5
Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (PHSSEF)............................................... 5
HHS General and Other Provisions .......................................................................................... 6
Use of Funds to Restore Prior Obligations ......................................................................... 6
HHS Spend Plans, Transfers, and Reporting and Notification Requirements .................... 7
Small Business Administration........................................................................................................ 8
Foreign Operations .......................................................................................................................... 8
Department of State................................................................................................................... 9
Bilateral Assistance ................................................................................................................... 9
Foreign Operations General Provisions .................................................................................. 10

Tables
Table 1. FY2020 Supplemental Appropriations for COVID-19 Preparedness and
Response (P.L. 116-123, Division A) ........................................................................................... 2

Contacts
Author Information......................................................................................................................... 11

Congressional Research Service

 Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020

Introduction
By late February and early March 2020, the global outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019
(COVID-19), a viral respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus, had entered a new phase,
with community spread occurring in many countries and several U.S. states. Concerns grew over
the potential for the disease to spread widely, leading to increased hospitalizations and deaths. On
March 6, 2020, Congress and the President enacted the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (P.L. 116-123), to provide emergency supplemental
appropriations to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus outbreak. This report
provides an overview of appropriations in Division A and relevant policies and requirements
pursuant to the supplemental.1 Funding in Division A is designated as being provided as an
emergency requirement.
For the purposes of the supplemental, the term “coronavirus” refers to SARS-CoV-2, the virus
that causes COVID-2019, or another coronavirus with pandemic potential. For an overview of
congressional reporting requirements in the act, see CRS Insight IN11236, Oversight Provisions
in H.R. 6074, the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, by
Ben Wilhelm.

Lead-Up to Enactment
Prior to the enactment of P.L. 116-123, domestic health coronavirus preparedness and response
activities were primarily supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
using certain existing funding streams and transfer authorities. For instance, on January 25, 2020,
the HHS Secretary determined that COVID-19 response activities would be supported by an
allotment of $105 million from existing balances in the Infectious Disease Rapid Response
Reserve Fund (IDRRRF; see the “Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)” section of
this report). In addition, on February 2, 2020, HHS reportedly notified Congress of its intention to
transfer up to $136 million to COVID-19 response efforts from other existing HHS accounts.2
On February 24, 2020, the Administration asked Congress for emergency supplemental
appropriations of $1.25 billion for the HHS Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund
(PHSSEF) to support COVID-19 response efforts. The Administration’s request included a
number of other proposals, mostly related to repurposing existing funds from across the
government, including HHS funds for current Ebola response activities.3 All told, the
Administration estimated needing to allocate about $2.5 billion toward COVID-19 repose efforts.
1

P.L. 116-123 also includes Division B, which addresses telehealth services furnished during certain emergency
periods. For more information, see related discussion in CRS Report R46239, Telehealth and Telemedicine: Frequently
Asked Questions.
2 Yasmeen Abutaleb and Erica Werner, “HHS Notifies Congress that It May Tap Millions of Additional Dollars for
Coronavirus Response,” Washington Post, February 3, 2020. Annual appropriations acts give the HHS Secretary
limited authority to transfer funds from one budget account to another within the department. For instance, a provision
in the FY2020 HHS Appropriations Act (P.L. 116-94, Division A, Title II, §205) generally allows the Secretary to
transfer up to 1% of the funds from any given account. In general, a recipient account may not be increased by more
than 3%. Congressional appropriators must be notified in advance of any transfer. Another FY2020 appropriations
provision (P.L. 116-94, Division A, Title V, §514) addresses the Secretary’s authority to reprogram funds from one
program, project, or activity in a given budget account to a different program, project, or activity within the same
budget account. This provision places certain limits on such actions and clarifies the circumstances in which
appropriations committees must be consulted in advance.
3 Russell T. Vought, Acting Director, White House Office of Management and Budget, letter to the Honorable Michael

Congressional Research Service

1

 Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020

The supplemental appropriations bill, H.R. 6074, was introduced and passed in the House on
March 4, 2020; passed in the Senate on March 5, 2020; and signed into law (P.L. 116-123) by the
President on March 6, 2020.

Overview of the Supplemental
Division A of P.L. 116-123 provides a total of $7.767 billion in supplemental appropriations to aid
in the U.S. and global coronavirus preparedness and response. This total includes $6.497 billion
for the HHS (including contingent amounts), $20 million for the Small Business Administration,
and $1.250 billion for foreign operations activities provided across several agencies and funding
mechanisms.4 The funding is largely intended to aid in the domestic public health response to the
outbreak, with limited amounts available for global health, diplomatic programs, and domestic
and international economic assistance activities. Division B, which addresses telehealth services,
is covered in CRS Report R46239, Telehealth and Telemedicine: Frequently Asked Questions.
Table 1 displays funds appropriated in Division A. The table is organized by each federal
department or agency, with funds further broken down by account, program, or activity. The text
below the table is organized in the same order and includes more detailed information on the
purposes and specified uses of these funds.
Table 1. FY2020 Supplemental Appropriations for COVID-19
Preparedness and Response (P.L. 116-123, Division A)

Department or Agency, Program or Account

Amount
(in $U.S.
millions)

Availability

Titles I and III—Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
FDA, Salaries and Expenses

61

CDC, CDC–Wide Activities and Program Support
Transfer to Infectious Diseases Rapid Response Reserve Fund (IDRRRF) (non-add)
NIH, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Transfer to NIH National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) (non-add)
OS, Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (PHSSEF), appropriated
Transfer to HRSA, Primary Health Care (Health Centers Program) (non-add)
Transfer to HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) (non-add)
OS, PHSSEF, additional contingent amounta
HHS Subtotal (includes contingent amount)

2,200

until expended
until Sept. 30, 2022

300

(as above)

836

until Sept. 30, 2024

10
3,100

(as above)
until Sept. 30, 2024

100

(as above)

2

(as above)

300

until Sept. 30, 2024

6,497

Title II—Small Business Administration (SBA)
Disaster Loans Program Account

20

SBA Subtotal

20

until expended

R. Pence, President of the Senate, February 24, 2020.
4 The amounts provided to HHS include $300 million in appropriations contingent upon future actions by HHS. This
$300 million is referred to as a “contingent amount” in this report. For more information about the conditions of
availability that apply to these funds, see the “Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (PHSSEF)” section
of this report.

Congressional Research Service

2

 Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020

Department or Agency, Program or Account

Amount
(in $U.S.
millions)

Availability

Title IV—Foreign Operations
Department of State, Diplomatic Programs

264

until Sept. 30, 2022

1

until Sept. 30, 2022

435

until Sept. 30, 2022

200

(as above)

Bilateral Economic Assistance—International Disaster Assistance

300

until expended

Bilateral Economic Assistance—Economic Support Fund

250

until Sept. 30, 2022

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Office of Inspector General
Bilateral Economic Assistance—Global Health Programs
Transfer to the Emergency Reserve Fund

Transfer to Operating Expenses

7

Foreign Operations Subtotal

1,250

Total (includes HHS contingent amount)

7,767

(as above)

Source: Compiled by the Congressional Research Service based on amount specified in Division A of P.L. 116123. The table does not include amounts associated with provisions in Division B of P.L. 116-123 that address
certain telehealth services furnished during certain emergency periods. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
estimated that the provisions in Division B would cost roughly $490 million over the course of FY2020-FY2022.
See the CBO cost estimate for H.R. 6074, as posted on March 4, 2020, at https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/
2020-03/hr6074.pdf.
Notes: FDA = Food and Drug Administration. CDC = Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. NIH =
National Institutes of Health. OS = HHS Office of the Secretary. HRSA = Health Resources and Services
Administration. PHSSEF = Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund. For amounts shown as transfers,
the bill text in some cases specifies a transfer of the exact amount shown; in other cases, bill text specifies
transfers of not less than or up to the amount shown.
a. These funds may be used to purchase medical products (e.g., vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics).
However, the availability of these appropriations is contingent upon future actions by HHS. Specifically, HHS
must certify to the appropriations committees that funds from the initial $3.1 billion in PHHSEF
appropriations that had been allotted for purchase of such products will be obligated imminently and that
the additional $300 million is necessary to purchase vaccines, therapeutics, or diagnostics to adequately
address the public health need.

Health and Human Services (HHS)
Titles I and III of P.L. 116-123 provide a total of about $6.5 billion in appropriations to the
Department of Health Human Services (HHS) for health emergency response activities related to
COVID-19.5 The funds in these titles are provided to “prevent, prepare for, and respond to
coronavirus, domestically or internationally.” Funds largely support domestic activities, but
certain accounts have available funding for HHS global health activities. (For information on
additional international funding, see the “Foreign Operations” section of this report.)

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Title I provides $61 million to FDA for domestic and international efforts “to prevent, prepare for,
and respond to coronavirus” to be used for activities such as development of medical
5

Title I contains funds for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), an agency that is typically funded in the annual
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (AG) Appropriations Act. Title
III contains funding for several HHS agencies and accounts typically funded in the annual Departments of Labor,
Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations Act.

Congressional Research Service

3

 Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020

countermeasures (e.g., therapeutics, vaccines, and diagnostics), advanced manufacturing for
medical products, monitoring of medical product supply chains, and related administrative
activities.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Title III makes $2.2 billion available to CDC for domestic and international preparedness and
response activities, including the following:





Not less than $950 million is for grants or cooperative agreements to “States,
localities, territories, tribes, tribal organizations, urban Indian health
organizations, or health service providers.” (The bill calls for HHS to allocate at
least half of these funds within 30 days of enactment.) The funds are for core
public health functions, including surveillance, laboratory capacity, infection
control, and other activities. Per the bill, each grantee that received a Public
Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) grant for FY2019 shall receive 90% of
that amount (totaling $561 million).6 In addition, not less than $40 million shall
be allocated to tribes and tribal organizations. The bill requires certain grantees
receiving these funds to submit a spend plan to the CDC not later than 45 days
after the date of enactment.
 Several days after enactment, on March 11, 2020, CDC announced almost
$600 million in awards to state and local PHEP grantees, additional funding
to the cities of Houston and Philadelphia, and $750,000 to the Cherokee
Nation, for a total of $605 million.7
 On March 20, HHS announced that the CDC was preparing to provide an
additional $80 million in funding to tribes, tribal organizations, and urban
Indian organizations for response activities. In total, the $81 million to tribes
and tribal organizations exceeds the required allocation in the supplemental.8
 Based on these initial reports, CRS estimates that, as of the date of this
report, about $265 million remains to be used at the CDC Director’s
discretion to target funds for certain jurisdictions or organizations, research,
public health activities, and administrative functions.
Not less than $300 million is for global disease detection and emergency
response.
$300 million shall be transferred to the CDC Infectious Disease Rapid Response
Reserve Fund (IDRRRF). Amounts in the IDRRRF may be used to prevent,
prepare for, and respond to an infectious disease emergency, as authorized by
several titles of the Public Health Service Act,9 and may be transferred by the

6

Total FY2019 Public Health Emergency Preparedness funding was $623 million; 90% of this amount is
approximately $561 million. CDC, “PHEP Budget Period 1 (Fiscal Year 2019) Funding,” https://www.cdc.gov/cpr/
readiness/00_docs/PHEP_Budget_Period_1_FY_2019_Funding_Table_August_2_2019.pdf.
7 HHS, “CDC to Award Over $560 Million to State & Local Jurisdictions in Support of COVID-19 Response,” press
release, March 11, 2020, https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2020-news-releases/index.html.
8 HHS, “HHS announces upcoming action to provide funding to tribes for COVID-19 response,” press release, March
20, 2020, https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2020/03/20/hhs-announces-upcoming-action-to-provide-funding-to-tribesfor-covid-19-response.html.
9 The IDRRRF was established in 2018 by P.L. 115-245 and is codified at 42 U.S.C. §247d-4a. Funds may be used to
carry out titles II, III, and XVII of the Public Health Service Act (PHSA), which include broad authorities related to the
research, public health prevention, and emergency response for infectious diseases.

Congressional Research Service

4

 Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020

CDC Director between CDC, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the
Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (PHSSEF) accounts. Funds
may be used for domestic and global activities.
In addition to the activities detailed above, the supplemental specifies that the funds appropriated
to the CDC may be used for grants for the construction, alteration, or renovation of nonfederally
owned facilities to improve preparedness and response capability at the state and local level.

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Title III makes $836 million available to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
(NIAID) at NIH. These funds are for preparedness and response to COVID-19. NIAID supports
scientific research on COVID-19 and other coronaviruses, as well as product development for
medical countermeasures (e.g., vaccines) that could be used to curb the spread of the virus and/or
to lessen its health impact. The bill specifies that


of the total provided to NIAID, not less than $10 million is to be transferred to
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) 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. NIEHS is the primary NIH institute for environmental health
research.

Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (PHSSEF)
The Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund is an account used in appropriations acts
to provide the HHS Secretary with one-time or emergency funding, as well as annual funding for
the office of the HHS Assistance Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). Title III of
P.L. 116-123 makes $3.1 billion available to the PHSSEF for domestic and international
coronavirus preparedness and response. PHSSEF funds may support a variety of activities,
including








product development and manufacturing for medical countermeasures (vaccines,
diagnostics, and therapeutics) prioritizing platform-based technologies with U.S.based manufacturing capabilities;
the development of manufacturing platforms for such products;
the purchase of medical countermeasures and medical supplies;10
the expansion of medical surge capacity;
grants to improve nonfederally owned facilities to improve preparedness and
response capabilities at the state and local level; and
grants to improve nonfederally owned facilities for the production of medical
countermeasures.

10

All purchases are to be made in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation guidance on fair and reasonable
pricing (48 C.F.R. §15.404-1). At the discretion of the HHS Secretary, these products may be deposited in the Strategic
National Stockpile authorized by PHSA Section 319F-2.

Congressional Research Service

5

 Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020

Title III also states that the HHS Secretary may take actions authorized under current law to
ensure that products developed with provided funding will be affordable in the commercial
market; however, the Secretary cannot take actions that delay the development of such products.11
The bill specifies that, out of the $3.1 billion






$100 million is to be transferred to the Health Resources and Services
Administration (HRSA) Bureau of Primary Health Care for grants under the
Health Centers Program.
Up to $2 million is to be transferred to, and merged with, funding for the HHS
Office of Inspector General for the oversight of the activities supported with
funds appropriated to HHS in titles I and III.
An unspecified amount may be transferred to, and merged with, the Covered
Countermeasure Process Fund. This fund may compensate eligible individuals
who suffer injuries as a result of a medical countermeasure administered or used
under a declaration of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act
(PREP Act).12

In addition to the $3.1 billion appropriation to the PHSSEF, the supplemental provides another
$300 million in PHSSEF appropriations that are contingent upon future actions by HHS. The
contingent funds may be used to purchase medical products (e.g., vaccines, therapeutics, and
diagnostics). However, in order for the additional $300 million to become available, HHS must
certify to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees that (1) funds from the initial $3.1
billion that had been allotted for purchase of such products will be obligated imminently and (2)
the additional funds are necessary to purchase vaccines, therapeutics, or diagnostics in quantities
that will adequately address the public health need.

HHS General and Other Provisions
Title III contains a number of general and other provisions that provide further guidance or
additional requirements associated with the supplemental funds. For example, these provisions
give HHS certain hiring and contract flexibilities. In addition, they authorize HHS to use funds to
restore certain prior obligations, and they establish certain expectations with respect to spend
plans, transfers, and reporting and notifications to Congress.

Use of Funds to Restore Prior Obligations
Title III includes general provisions authorizing HHS to use amounts appropriated in this title to
restore certain obligations incurred by HHS prior to the date of enactment for activities related to
coronavirus preparedness and response.13 In some cases, HHS is required to reverse these actions.
Specifically, HHS is directed to restore any amounts that had been transferred or reprogrammed
for these purposes pursuant to a notice to appropriations committees on February 2, 2020.
Title III general provisions also specify that funds for certain grant awards or cooperative
agreements to states, localities, and other entities are to include amounts to reimburse those
11

This language could refer to a number of authorities, among them the march-in rights provisions of Bayh-Dole (35
U.S.C. 203) and general federal use rights of 28 U.S.C. 1498. See CRS Legal Sidebar LSB10422, COVID-19 Medical
Countermeasures: Intellectual Property and Affordability, by Kevin J. Hickey.
12 PHSA Section 319F-4. See also HHS, “Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act,” https://www.phe.gov/
Preparedness/legal/prepact/Pages/default.aspx.
13 Excludes obligations incurred by the CDC Infectious Disease Rapid Response Reserve Fund (IDRRRF).

Congressional Research Service

6

 Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020

entities for costs incurred for relevant public health and other preparedness and response activities
between January 20, 2020, and the date of enactment.

HHS Spend Plans, Transfers, and Reporting and Notification Requirements
Titles III includes the following reporting and notification requirements for HHS, generally, and
for specific HHS agencies:


Spend Plan: HHS must provide a spend plan to the House and Senate
Appropriations Committees not later than 30 days after the date of enactment.
The spend plan must address anticipated uses of all funds made available to HHS
in the supplemental. The spend plan must be updated and submitted to these
committees every 60 days until September 30, 2024, and must include a list of
each contract obligation in excess of $5 million that has not previously been
reported.



Transfer Authority: HHS must notify the House and Senate Appropriations
Committees 10 days in advance of a transfer made between CDC, NIH, and
PHSSEF accounts. HHS may transfer nearly all amounts appropriated in Title III
to these specified agencies and accounts, provided the transfers are made to
prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally.
Contracting: HHS must notify the House and Senate Appropriations
Committees prior to using funding provided under Title III to enter into contracts
with individuals for the provision of personal services to support coronavirus
preparedness and response.14
Infectious Disease Rapid Response Reserve Fund (IDRRRF): The HHS
Secretary, in consultation with the CDC Director, shall provide a report to the
House and Senate Appropriations Committees every 14 days for a full year after
the Secretary has made certain determinations with respect to the IDRRRF.15
Specifically, these reports must be made if the Secretary, pursuant to Section 231
of P.L. 115-245, has made IDRRRF funds available (1) after declaring a Public
Health Emergency or (2) determining that an infectious disease emergency has
significant potential to imminently occur and to affect national security or the
health and security of U.S. citizens. In the case of the COVID-19 outbreak, the
HHS Secretary issued a determination allowing for the allotment of funds from
the IDRRRF on January 25, 2020.16 The Secretary subsequently declared
COVID-19 to be a Public Health Emergency Public Emergency effective January
27, 2020.17 The report to the appropriations committees must detail IDRRRF
commitment and obligation information in excess of $5 million and upon request
of the committees.





14

Personal service contracts are as described in 48 C.F.R. §37.104. The authority to enter into such contracts with
funds provided in the supplemental expires on September 30, 2024.
15 This requirement is included the CDC appropriations language, not in the Title III general provisions, but is
discussed in this section because it deals with HHS spend plans and reporting requirements.
16 CQ Newsmaker Transcripts, “Health and Human Services Secretary Azar Holds News Conference on Coronavirus,”
January 28, 2020, https://plus.cq.com/doc/newsmakertranscripts-5822133?8&searchId=XGVQS7c5press release.
17 HHS, “Secretary Azar Declares Public Health Emergency for United States for Coronavirus Disease 2019,” press
release, January 31, 2020, https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2020/01/31/secretary-azar-declares-public-healthemergency-us-2019-novel-coronavirus.html.

Congressional Research Service

7

 Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020

Small Business Administration
Title II of P.L. 116-123 provides the Small Business Administration (SBA) with $20 million until
expended for administrative expenses to carry out the SBA Disaster Loan Program. 18 Title II also
deems the coronavirus outbreak a disaster under Section 7(b)(2)(D) of the Small Business Act.
Prior to the amendment, some questioned whether the coronavirus outbreak would meet the Small
Business Act’s legal definition of a disaster. The amendment addresses this question and clarifies
that SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) can be made available.
Title II does not provide additional funding to the SBA for disaster loans, including SBA EIDL.
Instead, SBA EIDL loan funding in response to the coronavirus outbreak (as well as SBA disaster
loan funding for other incidents) is to be funded by roughly $1.2 billion in disaster loan credit
subsidy, which includes just over $1.1 billion in disaster loan credit subsidy carried over from
previous years. This is possible because the Disaster Loan Account is a “no-year” account. Noyear funding does not lapse at the end of the fiscal year. Rather, it is carried over to the next fiscal
year.
A summary of the supplemental released by the House Appropriations Committee noted that the
SBA is expected to make $1 billion in credit subsidy available to support the cost of anticipated
defaults and related expenses of about $7 billion in EIDL loans.19 Still, the $1.2 billion in loan
subsidy may be of concern to some if EIDL assistance in response to the outbreak becomes
significant, if there is an uptick in 2020 disasters, or both. Consequently, Congress could consider
providing additional supplemental funding through another appropriations package.
In addition, though the coronavirus outbreak is now considered by the SBA to be a disaster, SBA
EIDL is not being made automatically available to businesses. Instead, EIDL must be requested
by the state or territory governor by requesting one of the following types of declarations: (1) a
major disaster declaration under the under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (P.L. 93-288, as amended);20 (2) an SBA EIDL declaration under the Small
Business Act (P.L. 83-163);21 (3) an SBA EIDL declaration under the Small Business Act based
on the determination of a natural disaster by the Secretary of Agriculture;22 or (4) an SBA EIDL
declaration based on the determination of the Secretary of Commerce that a fishery resource
disaster has occurred.23

Foreign Operations
Title IV of P.L. 116-123 provides a total of $1.25 billion for Department of State, Foreign
Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) appropriations accounts, $264 million of which is to
be managed by the Department of State and $971 million of which is to be managed by the U.S.
Agency for International Development (USAID).

18

For more information about the SBA Disaster Loan Program, see CRS Report R44412, SBA Disaster Loan Program:
Frequently Asked Questions, by Bruce R. Lindsay.
19 The title-by-title bill summary was released by the majority on March 4, 2020, and can be found as part of a press
release made available at https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/house-passes-coronavirus-supplemental.
20 Tribal leaders are also authorized to request major disasters. Major disaster assistance is contingent on the President
granting the request for a major disaster.
21 SBA EIDL declarations are issued by the SBA Administrator.
22 This type of declaration makes SBA EIDL available to eligible small business cooperatives.
23 This type of declaration makes SBA EIDL available to eligible fisheries.

Congressional Research Service

8

 Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020

Department of State
Title IV designates $264 million for the Department of State’s Diplomatic Programs account,
which is the department’s principal operating account. Generally, the account provides for human
resources functions, overseas programs, security programs, and diplomatic policy and support.
P.L. 116-123 indicates that the emergency funds for Diplomatic Programs are meant to support
consular operations, reimburse evacuation expenses, and bolster emergency preparedness
measures.

Bilateral Assistance
The act specified the provision of $971 million across a number of bilateral assistance
appropriations accounts. These include the following:



Office of Inspector General. $1 million to USAID’s Office of Inspector General
to support oversight of COVID-19-related programming.
Global Health Programs. $435 million to the Global Health Programs (GHP)
account, with which USAID intends to prioritize the following interventions in
developing countries affected by and at-risk of COVID-19:
 screening at points of entry and exit;
 the purchase of key health commodities (e.g., diagnostics, personal protective
equipment, and disinfectants);
 the prevention and control of infections in critical health facilities; readiness
to identify, diagnose, manage, and treat cases rapidly;
 the identification and follow-up of contacts;
 awareness-raising in populations through risk-communication and
community-engagement;
 the implementation of health measures for travelers;
 logistics and supply-chain management;
 global and regional coordination; and
 country-level readiness and response.
According to USAID, the “funding will help address the threat of COVID-19 in the
following high-priority countries: The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan; the Republics of
Angola, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Africa, Tajikistan, The Philippines,
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Zambia, and Zimbabwe; the People’s Republic of
Bangladesh; Burma; the Kingdom of Cambodia; the Federal Democratic Republic of
Ethiopia; the Kyrgyz Republic; the Lao People’s Democratic Republic; Mongolia; the
Federal Republic of Nepal; the Federal Republic of Nigeria; the Islamic Republic of
Pakistan; the Kingdom of Thailand; and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.”24
The supplemental specifies that, out of the total appropriated to the GHP account, $200
million is to be transferred into USAID’s Emergency Reserve Fund (ERF) to support
coronavirus-related programs, including pandemic prevention, preparedness, and control.
The ERF was established under the GHP account within final FY2017 appropriations

24

USAID, Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), March 18, 2020.

Congressional Research Service

9

 Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020

(P.L. 115-31) “to enable the United States and the international public health community
to respond rapidly to emerging health threats.”




International Disaster Assistance. $300 million for coronavirus response efforts
through the International Disaster Assistance (IDA) account. Broadly, the
account is used for relief and recovery efforts in the wake of disasters—both
natural and human-induced.
Economic Support Fund. $250 million in emergency funds for addressing
coronavirus-related “economic, security, and stabilization requirements” through
the Economic Support Fund (ESF). The ESF account supports myriad objectives,
ranging from more traditional development activities to those that advance U.S.
political and strategic goals.

Foreign Operations General Provisions
In the general provisions of Title IV of P.L. 116-123, Congress primarily offers guidance and
requirements on transfer authorities, the Administration’s strategy for fighting COVID-19 on an
international scale, and the intervals in which Congress requires reporting.








25

Transfer Authorities. The act provides broad transfer authorities across GHP,
IDA, and ESF, in an effort to grant flexibility to USAID in its COVID-19
response. However, five days prior to transferring funds, the Secretary of State or
USAID Administrator must notify the House and Senate Appropriations
Committees of the transfer’s details.
Strategy. The act requires the Secretary of State and USAID Administrator to
issue a joint strategy to “prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus abroad”
within 15 days of the supplemental’s enactment.
Reporting. In addition to regular reporting requirements for each appropriations
account, the act includes a provision that requires additional reporting for the
supplemental funds.25 The act requires the Secretary of State and USAID
Administrator to jointly submit to the House and Senate Appropriations
Committees a report detailing the use of the supplemental funds within 30 days
of enactment. Following submission of the report, it is required to be updated
every 60 days until September 30, 2022, and then every 180 days after that until
all funds have been expended. This reporting structure is relatively consistent
with other SFOPS supplemental appropriations measures that have been enacted
in the past decade.
Use of Funds to Restore Prior Obligations. The act specifies that supplemental
funds appropriated to certain accounts (Diplomatic Programs, GHP, IDA, and
ESF) may be used to reimburse accounts administered by the Department of
State and the USAID for obligations incurred prior to enactment for activities to
prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. (Certain limitations are placed
on use of these funds for certain obligations previously incurred by ESF.)

Regular reporting requirements can be found in FY2020-enacted appropriations, P.L. 116-94, Divison G.

Congressional Research Service

10

 Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020

Author Information
Kavya Sekar, Coordinator
Analyst in Health Policy

Karen E. Lynch
Specialist in Social Policy

Agata Dabrowska
Analyst in Health Policy

Emily M. Morgenstern
Analyst in Foreign Assistance and Foreign Policy

Bruce R. Lindsay
Analyst in American National Government

Sara M. Tharakan
Analyst in Global Health and International
Development

Sarah A. Lister
Specialist in Public Health and Epidemiology

Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge CRS Research Assistant Isaac Nicchitta for his assistance in summarizing HHS
provisions.

Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and
under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not
subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in
its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or
material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to
copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.

Congressional Research Service

R46285 · VERSION 3 · NEW

11