,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #fbib ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,march #ai1 #bjbj,ms4 ,jackson ,lee introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,small ,business1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,transportation and ,infrastructure1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to establish the ,office of ,coronavirus ,,covid-#ai ,small ,business ,recovery ,grants in the ,small ,business ,administration to compensate certain small business concerns for substantial economic injury1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,,covid-#ai ,small ,business ,recovery ,grants ,act4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act1 the following definitions apply3 7#a7 ,claim ,the term claim means a claim by an injured concern under this ,act for payment for substantial economic injury suffered by the injured concern as a result of ,,covid-#ai4 7#b7 ,claimant ,the term claimant means an injured concern that submits a claim under section #d7;b74 7#c7 ,administrator ,the term ,administrator means the ,administrator of the ,small ,business ,administration4 7#d7 ,injured concern ,the term injured concern-- 7,a7 means a small business concern that is located in an area that is a qualified disaster area as a result of ,,covid-#ai2 and 7,b7 does not include-- 7i7 a lender that holds a mortgage on or security interest in real or personal property affected by ,,covid-#ai2 or 7ii7 a person that holds a lien on real or personal property affected by ,,covid-#ai4 7#e7 ,office ,the term ,office means the ,office of ,coronavirus ,,covid-#ai ,small ,business ,recovery ,grants established by section #c4 #c4 ,office of ,coronavirus ,,covid-#ai small business recovery grants 7a7 ,in general ,there is established within the ,small ,business ,administration an office to be known as the ,office of ,coronavirus ,,covid-#ai ,small ,business ,recovery ,grants4 7b7 ,purpose ,the ,office shall receive1 process1 and pay claims in accordance with section #d4 7c7 ,funding ,the ,office-- 7#a7 shall be funded from funds made available under this ,act2 and 7#b7 may reimburse any other ,federal agency for provision of assistance in the receipt and processing of claims4 7d7 ,personnel 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,office may appoint and fix the compensation of such temporary personnel as are necessary to carry out the duties of the ,office1 without regard to the provisions of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 governing appointments in the competitive service4 7#b7 ,personnel from other agencies ,on the request of the ,administrator1 the head of any other ,federal agency may detail1 on a reimbursable basis1 any of the personnel of the agency to the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency to assist the ,office in carrying out the duties of the ,office under this ,act4 7#c7 ,effect on other sba duties ,the establishment of the ,office shall not diminish the authority of1 or funding available to1 the ,administrator to carry out the responsibilities of the ,small ,business ,act4 #d4 ,compensation for victims of ,,covid-#ai 7a7 ,in general ,each injured concern may receive compensation for substantial economic injury suffered as a result of ,,covid-#ai1 as determined by the ,administrator4 7b7 ,submission of claims ,not later than #a year after the date on which interim final regulations are promulgated under subsection 7h71 an injured concern may submit to the ,administrator a written claim for compensation for substantial economic injury suffered as a result of ,,covid-#ai4 7c7 ,handling of claims ,the ,administrator shall investigate1 adjust1 grant1 deny1 settle1 or compromise any claim submitted under subsection 7b74 7d7 ,amount of grant 7#a7 ,in general ,any grant made to an injured concern-- 7,a7 shall be limited to the amount necessary to compensate the injured concern for substantial economic injury described in paragraph 7#b7 suffered as a result of ,,covid-#ai during the period beginning on ,december #a1 #bjai1 and ending on ,december #ca1 #bjba2 7,b7 shall not include-- 7i7 interest on the amount of the payment before the date of settlement or payment of a claim2 or 7ii7 punitive damages or any other form of noncompensatory damages2 and 7,c7 shall not exceed #ajj1jjj1 except in the case of a grant application for which the ,administrator determines that a greater amount up to #bej1jjj is appropriate4 7#b7 ,substantial economic injury ,under paragraph 7#a71 an injured concern may receive payment for substantial economic injury consisting of one or more of the following3 7,a7 ,an uninsured or underinsured property loss4 7,b7 ,damage to or destruction of physical infrastructure4 7,c7 ,damage to or destruction of tangible assets or inventory4 7,d7 ,a business interruption loss4 7,e7 ,overhead costs4 7,f7 ,employee wages for work not performed4 7,g7 ,an insurance deductible4 7,h7 ,a temporary relocation expense4 7,i7 ,debris removal and other cleanup costs4 7,j7 ,any other type of substantial economic injury that the ,administrator determines to be appropriate4 7#c7 ,burden of proof 7,a7 ,in general ,a claimant shall have the burden of demonstrating substantial economic injury4 7,b7 ,absence of documents ,if documentary evidence substantiating substantial economic injury is not reasonably available1 the ,administrator may pay a claim based on an affidavit or other documentation executed by the claimant4 7e7 ,payment of claims 7#a7 ,determination and payment of amount 7,a7 ,in general ,to the maximum extent practicable1 not later than #ahj days after the date on which a claim is submitted under subsection 7b71 the ,administrator shall-- 7i7 determine the amount1 if any1 to be paid for the claim2 and 7ii7 pay the amount4 7,b7 ,priority ,the ,administrator may establish priorities for processing and paying claims based on-- 7i7 an assessment of the needs of the claimants2 and 7ii7 any other criteria that the ,administrator determines to be appropriate4 7,c7 ,parameters of determination ,in determining and paying a claim1 the ,administrator shall determine only-- 7i7 whether the claimant is an injured concern2 and 7ii7 whether the injuries that are the subject of the claim resulted from ,,covid-#ai4 7,d7 ,insurance and other benefits 7i7 ,in general ,subject to clause 7ii71 to prevent recovery by a claimant in excess of the equivalent of actual amount of the substantial economic injury suffered by the claimant in accordance with subsection 7d71 the ,administrator shall reduce the amount to be paid for the claim by an amount that is equal to the sum of the payments or settlements of any kind that were paid1 or will be paid1 with respect to the claim1 including payments by an insurance company4 7ii7 ,government loans ,clause 7i7 shall not apply to the receipt by a claimant of any ,federal1 ,state1 or local government loan that is required to be repaid by the claimant4 7#b7 ,advance or partial payments ,at the request of a claimant1 the ,administrator may make one or more advance or partial payments before the final approval of a grant4 7f7 ,recovery of funds improperly paid or misused ,the ,administrator may recover any portion of a payment on a grant that was improperly paid to the claimant as a result of-- 7#a7 fraud or misrepresentation on the part of the claimant or a representative of the claimant2 7#b7 a material mistake on the part of the ,administrator2 7#c7 the payment of insurance or benefits described in subsection 7e77#a77;,d7 that were not taken into account in determining the amount of the payment2 or 7#d7 the failure of the claimant to cooperate in an audit4 7g7 ,appeals of decisions 7#a7 ,right of appeal ,a claimant may appeal a decision concerning payment of a claim by filing1 not later than #fj days after the date on which the claimant is notified that the claim of the claimant will or will not be paid1 a notice of appeal in the case of a decision on a claim relating to a business loss1 with the ,administrator of the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,administration4 7#b7 ,period for decision ,a decision concerning an appeal under paragraph 7#a7 shall be rendered not later than #ij days after the date on which the notice of appeal is received4 7h7 ,regulations ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 not later than #de days after the date of enactment of this ,act-- 7#a7 the ,administrator shall promulgate and publish in the ,federal ,register interim final regulations for the processing and payment of claims2 and 7#b7 the ,administrator and the ,administrator of the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency shall jointly promulgate and publish in the ,federal ,register procedures under which a dispute concerning payment of a claim may be settled through an appeals process described in subsection 7g74 7i7 ,public information ,at the time of publication of interim final regulations under subsection 7h71 the ,administrator shall publish a clear1 concise1 and easily understandable explanation of the grant program established under this ,act the procedural and other requirements of the regulations promulgated under subsection 7h74 ,such explanation shall be-- 7#a7 disseminated through brochures1 pamphlets1 radio1 television1 the print news media1 and such other media as the ,administrator determines to be likely to reach prospective claimants2 and 7#b7 provided in ,english1 ,spanish1 and any other language that the ,administrator determines to be appropriate4 7j7 ,coordination ,in carrying out this section1 the ,administrator shall coordinate with the ,administrator of the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency1 other ,federal1 ,state and local agencies1 and any other individual or entity1 as the ,administrator determines to be necessary to ensure the efficient administration of the claims process4 7k7 ,applicability of debt collection requirements 7#a7 ,in general ,section #cgaf of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 shall not preclude any payment on a claim4 7#b7 ,assignment and exemption from claims of creditors 7,a7 ,assignment ,no assignment1 release1 or commutation of a payment due or payable under this ,act shall be valid4 7,b7 ,exemption 7i7 ,in general ,a payment under this ,act shall be exempt from all claims of creditors and from levy1 execution1 attachment1 or other remedy for recovery or collection of a debt4 7ii7 ,nonwaivable exemption ,the exemption provided by clause 7i7 may not be waived4 #e4 ,reports and audits 7a7 ,reports ,not later than #a year after the date of promulgation of interim final regulations under section #d7;h7 and annually thereafter1 the ,administrator shall submit to ,congress a report that describes the claims submitted under section #d7;b7 during the year preceding the date of submission of the report1 including1 with respect to each claim-- 7#a7 the amount claimed2 7#b7 a brief description of the nature of the claim2 and 7#c7 the status or disposition of the claim1 including the amount of any payment on the claim4 7b7 ,audits ,the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall-- 7#a7 conduct an annual audit of the payment of all claims submitted under section #d7;b72 and 7#b7 not later than #abj days after the date on which the ,administrator submits the initial report required by subsection 7a7 and annually thereafter1 submit to ,congress a report on the results of the audit4 #f4 ,authorization of appropriations 7a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this ,act-- 7#a7 to the ,office of ,business ,recovery ,grants established under section #c to administer the claims process1 #be1jjj1jjj2 and 7#b7 for payment of claims1 #ige1jjj1jjj4 7b7 ,availability ,amounts made available under subsection 7a7 shall remain available until expended4 #g4 ,termination of authority ,the authority provided by this ,act terminates effective #cj months after the date of enactment of this ,act4