COVID–19 Accountability Act
Latest action · May 11, 2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedMay 11, 2020
- Passed SenateNot reached
- Passed HouseNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
COVID-19 Accountability Act
This bill authorizes sanctions in relation to the Chinese government's response to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) outbreak. It also increases the research tax credit and imposes requirements related to the acquisition of items for the Strategic National Stockpile.
The President shall periodically certify to Congress that the Chinese government (1) is cooperating with efforts related to the COVID-19 outbreak, (2) has prohibited wet markets, and (3) has released and dropped all charges for anyone involved in protests in Hong Kong related to COVID-19. If the President cannot make such a certification, the President may (1) impose sanctions on Chinese government officials, entities owned or controlled by the Chinese government, and individuals affiliated with such entities; or (2) prohibit Chinese nationals from obtaining student visas (i.e., F and M visas) or exchange visitor visas (i.e., J visas).
With respect to the research tax credit, the bill increases the alternative simplified credit from 14% to 20% of qualified research expenses above a certain threshold.
The Department of Health and Human Services generally may not purchase personal protective equipment, critical medical supplies, or certain fabric products not produced in the United States for the Strategic National Stockpile. However, this restriction shall not apply if (1) there is not a sufficient amount of U.S.-produced items available at U.S. market prices when needed, or (2) the purchase is worth less than $150,000.
Cosponsors 9
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from May 11, 2020 to May 13, 2020, with 8 there on the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-MS | Cindy Hyde-Smith | Original | May 11, 2020 |
| R-OK | James M. Inhofe | Original | May 11, 2020 |
| R-IN | Mike Braun | Original | May 11, 2020 |
| R-FL | Rick Scott | Original | May 11, 2020 |
| R-MS | Roger F. Wicker | Original | May 11, 2020 |
| R-MT | Steve Daines | Original | May 11, 2020 |
| R-NC | Thom Tillis | Original | May 11, 2020 |
| R-IN | Todd Young | Original | May 11, 2020 |
| R-AZ | Martha McSally | May 13, 2020 |
Actions 2
Everything that happened, newest first.
- May 11, 2020Introduced in Senate
- May 11, 2020Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR 6863 | COVID–19 Accountability Act | Identical bill | May 14, 2020 |
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: International Affairs.
- Agricultural marketing and promotion
- Animal and plant health
- Animal protection and human-animal relationships
- Appropriations
- Asia
- Cardiovascular and respiratory health
- China
- Congressional oversight
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Detention of persons
- Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
- Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
- Emergency medical services and trauma care
- Foreign and international corporations
- Foreign loans and debt
- Foreign property
- Fraud offenses and financial crimes
- Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
- Government studies and investigations
- Health personnel
- Health technology, devices, supplies
- Higher education
- Hong Kong
- Human rights
- Immigration status and procedures
- Income tax credits
- Infectious and parasitic diseases
- International Affairs
- International exchange and broadcasting
- International organizations and cooperation
- Manufacturing
- Multilateral development programs
- Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
- Protest and dissent
- Public contracts and procurement
- Research and development
- Sanctions
- Securities
- Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status
- Strategic materials and reserves
- Taiwan
- U.S. and foreign investments
- United Nations
- Visas and passports
- War and emergency powers
- Worker safety and health
- World health
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- May 11, 2020Introduced in Senate
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov.