Federal news
Upcoming COVID-19 stimulus legislation
Advocacy Alert: Urge Your Representative to Support Emergency Library Funding [ALA Public Policy & Advocacy Office, 4/11/2020]
“Congressional leadership has started work on a new COVID-19 relief package, and we are working to ensure libraries of all types are included. Today, we need your help to get the library message to Congress.”
Federal stimulus for COVID-19
H.R.748 CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act [became Public Law No. 116-136 on 3/27/2020]
“This bill responds to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) outbreak and its impact on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses.”
NLM Receives Stimulus Funding to Prevent, Prepare for, and Respond to the Coronavirus [MLAConnect, 4/1/2020]
“For an additional amount for “National Library of Medicine”, $10,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2024, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally.”
Hospitals await details as emergency fund allocations begin [Roll Call, 4/8/2020]
“Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma announced Tuesday that the department would be advancing $30 billion of the [new $100 billion hospital emergency fund to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic] to providers through direct deposit based on their Medicare revenues this week.”
Federal Relief Package Supports Libraries [American Libraries, 3/27/2020]
“The $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act includes $50 million for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) for digital inclusion projects and more than $30 billion in relief for schools and colleges, plus billions more for state and local governments and nonprofit organizations. The stimulus package also includes libraries–on Main Street, in schools, and on campuses–as part of a massive, long-overdue effort to ensure digital equity in America.” Read the Library Recovery Funding Summary.
Congress pumps up NSF program to fast-track COVID-19 research [Science, 3/26/2020]
As part of the CARES Act, “…Congress gave NSF an extra $75 million to spend on research that will help ‘prevent, prepare for, and respond’ to the novel coronavirus.'”
Other COVID-19 news
Mental health workers seek protections during COVID-19 crisis [Roll Call, 4/3/2020]
“The call echoes that of other health care unions … [but] psychiatric facility and Veterans Affairs employees have to endure especially dangerous conditions that may be overlooked…”
Other federal legislative news
S.893 Secure 5G and Beyond Act of 2020 [became Public Law No. 116-129 on 3/23/2020]
“This bill requires the President, in consultation with relevant federal agencies, to develop a strategy to secure and protect U.S. fifth and future generations (5G) systems and infrastructure.”
S.1822 Broadband DATA Act [became Public Law No. 116-130 on 3/23/2020]
“This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to change the way broadband data is [sic] collected, verified, and reported.”
H.R.4334 Supporting Older Americans Act of 2020 [became Public Law No. 116-131 on 3/25/2020]
“This bill establishes, reauthorizes, and revises several programs administered by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Labor relating to care for the elderly.”
MLA and AAHSL comment on public access [MLAConnect, 4/6/2020]
“…MLA and AAHSL strongly encouraged the OSTP and the National Science and Technology Council to consider a ‘zero-embargo’ open access policy, which would require the products of federally funded scientific research (i.e., articles, data, and code) to be publicly available immediately upon publication.”