# 116-hr-7546: Minority Community Public Health Emergency Response Act of 2020

116-hr-7546, Minority Community Public Health Emergency Response Act of 2020, is a 116th Congress bill sponsored by JOHN LEWIS (D-GA); status Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-7546
- 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-7546
- Congress: 116
- Title: Minority Community Public Health Emergency Response Act of 2020
- Status: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced: 2020-07-09
- Sponsor: JOHN LEWIS (D-GA)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Health
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Minority Community Public Health Emergency Response Act of 2020 This bill establishes a grant program for COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) preparedness and response in medically underserved communities where the disease disproportionally affects racial and ethnic minority groups. It also modifies the scope and administration of demonstration models carried out by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to address health inequity. With respect to the grant program, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must award grants to government entities, giving priority to local governments and county health departments, for contact tracing, other public health activities, and the provision of nutrition assistance and quarantine housing. HHS may also support planning activities for entities that intend to apply for these grants. As a condition for receiving funding, grantees must establish, or designate an existing body as, a COVID-19/infectious disease planning council. The council must reflect the demographics of the populations most impacted by COVID-19, and its responsibilities shall include developing a plan for the delivery of health care and support services to address COVID-19 and establishing priorities for allocating funding. In addition, the CMMI must test a payment model that addresses social determinants of health and health disparities, particularly with respect to minorities, underserved areas, and high-risk individuals. The bill also generally incorporates consideration of such factors into the selection, implementation, and evaluation of other models, including the decision as to whether to expand a model's duration and scope.

## Related bills

- 116-hr-7644: Juvenile Incarceration Reduction Act of 2020
- 116-hr-7591: Fostering Healthy Transitions into Adulthood Act of 2020
- 116-hr-7545: Transportation and Infrastructure Profession Opportunity Grants Act
- 116-hr-7544: Missed Opportunities in Public Health and Biomedical Research Act of 2020
- 116-hr-7543: HELP Act of 2020
- 116-hr-7499: Social Security COVID Correction and Equity Act

## Sources
- [116-hr-7546 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/7546)

## Related
- [116-hr-7644: Juvenile Incarceration Reduction Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-7644)
- [116-hr-7591: Fostering Healthy Transitions into Adulthood Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-7591)
- [116-hr-7545: Transportation and Infrastructure Profession Opportunity Grants Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-7545)
- [116-hr-7544: Missed Opportunities in Public Health and Biomedical Research Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-7544)
- [116-hr-7543: HELP Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-7543)
- [116-hr-7499: Social Security COVID Correction and Equity Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-7499)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-7546 (as of 2025-11-18).