# 116-hr-6687: Pandemic Disaster Assistance Act of 2020

116-hr-6687, Pandemic Disaster Assistance Act of 2020, is a 116th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14] (D-NY); status Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-6687
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 116-hr-6687
- Congress: 116
- Title: Pandemic Disaster Assistance Act of 2020
- Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
- Introduced: 2020-05-01
- Sponsor: Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14] (D-NY)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Emergency Management
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Pandemic Disaster Assistance Act of 2020 This bill authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide direct assistance to individuals who have been impacted by a pandemic and appropriates funds to the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Labor for unemployment compensation and disaster relief. Specifically, at the discretion of a governor or the President, individuals impacted by a pandemic will be eligible to apply directly to federal agencies for various forms of assistance, including (1) assistance under the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program; (2) assistance under the Disaster Unemployment Assistance program; and (3) other needs assistance through FEMA's Individual Assistance program, including medical, funeral, and child care assistance. With respect to the Disaster Unemployment Assistance program, the bill creates a national floor for benefits at 1.5 times the national weekly average and provides a waiver to the requirement to exhaust state unemployment insurance options. With respect to the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program, the Department of Agriculture must provide options other than an in-person interview.

## Related bills

- 116-hr-8793: Hurricane Eta Relief Act of 2020
- 116-hr-8729: Native American Language Resource Center Act
- 116-hr-8721: Public Banking Act of 2020
- 116-hr-8664: PPE for Safe Schools Act
- 116-hr-8626: Energy Resilient Communities Act
- 116-hr-8544: STRONG Support for Children Act of 2020

## Sources
- [116-hr-6687 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6687)

## Related
- [116-hr-8793: Hurricane Eta Relief Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8793)
- [116-hr-8729: Native American Language Resource Center Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8729)
- [116-hr-8721: Public Banking Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8721)
- [116-hr-8664: PPE for Safe Schools Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8664)
- [116-hr-8626: Energy Resilient Communities Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8626)
- [116-hr-8544: STRONG Support for Children Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8544)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-6687 (as of 2025-11-18).