COVID–19 International Response and Recovery Act of 2020
A BILL
To respond to the global COVID–19 pandemic, and for other purposes.
2. Definitions
In this Act:
Appropriate congressional committees— The term appropriate congressional committees means—
the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
COVID–19— The term COVID–19 means the novel coronavirus disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS–CoV–2).
Ebola— The term Ebola means the Ebola virus disease.
Global health security— The term global health security means activities, at the country, regional, and global levels, to improve epidemic and pandemic preparedness and capabilities in order to minimize vulnerability to acute public health events that can endanger the health of populations at the country level and across international boundaries.
Global Health Security Agenda; GHSA— The terms Global Health Security Agenda and GHSA refer to the partnership, established in 2014, of nations, international organizations, and nongovernmental stakeholders that is committed to helping—
build countries’ capacities to create a world safe and secure from infectious disease threats; and
elevate global health security as a national and global priority.
Health system— The term health system means all of the organizations, institutions, and resources, including resources from public, private, traditional, and informal sectors, that are dedicated to improving the health of individuals, including through service provision, resource generation, financing, and stewardship, especially those aspects of a system which are foundational to success in multiple United States Government supported health programs and for which constraints should be addressed in a comprehensive way.
Private sector— The term private sector includes local, national, and multinational corporations, academia, and nongovernmental entities and organizations with relevant expertise.
United States Government supported health program— The term United States Government supported health program means any program or activity supported by United States foreign assistance that addresses a specific disease or health issue, such as malaria, tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases, maternal and child health, nutrition, family planning, or HIV/AIDS.
United States national defined— The term United States national means an individual who is—
a United States citizen; or
an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the United States.
3. Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that—
as we attempt to manage the scale and scope of the impact of COVID–19 in the United States, a coordinated global response and recovery effort is in the national security and economic interests of the United States; and
in the same way that the world witnessed increased international counterterrorism cooperation following the tragic terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001, countries around the world need to increase information-sharing and coordination on global health issues, including to address COVID–19.