,,ii #aaf? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #cffb ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,may #g1 #bjbj,mr4 ,cotton introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ! ,judici>y ,a ,,bill ,to am5d title #bh1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to provide a civil action aga9/ a =eign /ate = delib]ate concealm5t or di/ortion ( in=mation ) respect to an int]national public heal? em]g5cy1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,hold+ ! ,*9ese ,communi/ ,p>ty ,acc\ntable = ,infect+ ,am]icans ,act ( #bjbj4 #b4 ,f9d+s2 purpose 7a7 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,! ,communi/ ,p>ty ( ,*9a cov]$ up ! exi/5ce & d[nplay$ ! s]i\sness ( ! coronavirus disease #bjai 7,,covid-#ai71 at lea/ z e>ly z ,decemb] #bjai4 7#b7 ,*9ese gov]nm5t (ficials engag$ 9 a campaign to sil5ce & delegitimize doctors1 includ+ ,dr4 ,li ,w5liang1 :o 7 w>n+ _! colleagues & o!rs ab\t ,,covid-#ai4 7#c7 ,*9ese gov]nm5t (ficials ord]$ ! de/ruction ( laboratory samples & rese>* reg>d+ ,,covid-#ai 9 ,janu>y #bjbj4 7#d7 ,*9ese gov]nm5t (ficials h deta9$ or o!rwise sil5c$ rese>*]s1 j\rnali/s1 & citiz5s :o attempt$ to %>e in=mation t c\ld h prov5 unflatt]+ to ! response ( ! ,*9ese gov]nm5t to ! ,,covid-#ai outbreak4 7#e7 ,*9ese gov]nm5t (ficials h expell$ ,unit$ ,/ates j\rnali/s :o 7 cov]+ ! ,,covid-#ai outbreak 9 ,*9a4 7#f7 ,*9ese gov]nm5t (ficials h attempt$ to c5sor or de/roy academic rese>* into ,,covid-#ai & its orig9s t might disagree ) ! (ficial positions ( ! ,*9ese gov]nm5t4 7#g7 ,*9ese gov]nm5t (ficials h int5tionally und]report$ or alt]$ (ficial numb]s ( ,,covid-#ai infections & dea?s 9 ,*9a1 lead+ _w heal? exp]ts to make flaw$ analyses t sev]ely und]e/imat$ ! nature & s]i\sness ( ,,covid-#ai4 7#h7 ,academic /udies h %[n t1 _h appropriate int]v5tions occurr$ to /op ! spread ( ,,covid-#ai ev5 j weeks e>li]1 ! spread ( ,,covid-#ai w\ld h be5 sev]ely curtail$4 7#i7 ,! cov]-up ( ,,covid-#ai by ! ,*9ese gov]nm5t-- 7,a7 has caus$ significant dea?1 injury1 & economic h>m 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates & ar\nd ! _w2 & 7,b7 is1 at m9imum1 grossly neglig5t behavior caus+ significant injury4 7b7 ,purpose ,! purpose ( ?is ,act is to provide civil litigants ) ! broade/ possible basis1 consi/5t ) ! ,con/itution ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 to seek relief aga9/ p]sons1 entities1 & =eign c\ntries1 :]ev] act+ & :]ev] !y may be f\nd1 t are responsible =1 or complicit 9 ord]+1 controll+1 or o!rwise direct+ acts int5d$ to delib]ately conceal or di/ort ! exi/5ce or nature ( ,,covid-#ai1 if su* acts are f\nd to h likely contribut$ to ! global ,,covid-#ai p&emic4 #c4 ,def9ition ,9 ?is ,act1 ! t]m ,,covid-#ai means ! coronavirus disease #bjai 7,,covid-#ai74 #d4 ,responsibility ( =eign /ates = delib]ate concealm5t or di/ort+ in=mation ab\t int]national public heal? em]g5cies 7a7 ,9 g5]al ,*apt] #ig ( title #bh1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by ins]t+ aft] section #afje;,b ! foll[+ new section3 #afje;,c4 ,responsibility ( =eign /ates = delib]ate concealm5t or di/ort+ in=mation ab\t int]national public heal? em]g5cies ( int]national conc]n 7a7 ,responsibility ( =eign /ate ,a =eign /ate %all n be immune f ! jurisdiction ( ! c\rts ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9 any case 9 :i* money damages are s\ght aga9/ a =eign /ate = physical injury or dea?1 or injury to prop]ty or economic int]e/s1 occurr+ 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates & caus$ by-- 7#a7 ! spread ( ,,covid-#ai2 & 7#b7 a torti\s act or acts1 includ+ acts int5d$ to delib]ately conceal or di/ort ! exi/5ce or nature ( ,,covid-#ai1 ( ! =eign /ate1 or ( any (ficial1 employee1 or ag5t ( t =eign /ate :ile act+ )9 ! scope ( 8 or h] (fice1 employm5t1 or ag5cy1 reg>dless :]e ! torti\s act or acts ( ! =eign /ate occurr$4 7b7 ,exclusive jurisdiction 7#a7 ,orig9al jurisdiction ,! ,unit$ ,/ates ,di/rict ,c\rt = ! ,s\!rn ,di/rict ( ,new ,york1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,di/rict ,c\rt = ! ,nor!rn ,di/rict ( ,cali=nia1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,di/rict ,c\rt = ! ,nor!rn ,di/rict ( ,ill9ois1 & ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,di/rict ,c\rt = ! ,s\!rn ,di/rict ( ,texas %all h orig9al & exclusive jurisdiction ov] all actions 9 :i* a =eign /ate is subject to ! jurisdiction ( a c\rt ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates "u ?is section4 7#b7 ,appellate jurisdiction ,! ,unit$ ,/ates ,c\rt ( ,appeals = ! ,f$]al ,circuit %all h exclusive jurisdiction ( an appeal f a f9al decision ( an action "u ?is section4 7c7 ,/ay ( actions p5d+ =eign /ate negotiations 7#a7 ,int]v5tion ,! ,attorney ,g5]al may int]v5e 9 any action 9 :i* a =eign /ate is subject to ! jurisdiction ( a c\rt ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates "u ?is section = ! purpose ( seek+ a /ay ( ! civil action1 9 :ole or 9 "p4 7#b7 ,/ay 7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,a c\rt ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates %all /ay a proce$+ "u ?is section aga9/ a =eign /ate or any (ficial1 employee1 or ag5t ( ! =eign /ate1 if ! ,secret>y ( ,/ate c]tifies t ! ,unit$ ,/ates is engag$ 9 good fai? discussions ) ! =eign /ate def5dant1 or any o!r def5dant1 ) respect to ! resolution ( a claim aga9/ su* a def5dant4 7,b7 ,duration 7i7 ,9 g5]al ,a /ay "u ?is section may be grant$ = n m ?an #ahj days4 7ii7 ,ext5sion 7,i7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,attorney ,g5]al may petition ! c\rt = an ext5sion ( ! /ay = additional #ahj-;day p]iods4 7,,ii7 ,rec]tification ,a c\rt may grant an ext5sion "u subclause 7,i7 if ! ,secret>y ( ,/ate rec]tifies t ! ,unit$ ,/ates rema9s engag$ 9 good fai? discussions ) ! =eign /ate def5dant or any o!r def5dant conc]n+ ! resolution ( a claim aga9/ ! =eign /ate or any (ficial1 employee1 or ag5t ( ! =eign /ate1 z to :om a /ay ( claims is s\ght4 7d7 ,dismissal ( actions foll[+ =eign /ate agreem5t 7#a7 ,int]v5tion ,! ,attorney ,g5]al may int]v5e 9 any action 9 :i* a =eign /ate is subject to ! jurisdiction ( a c\rt ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates "u ?is section = ! purpose ( seek+ ! dismissal ( ! case4 7#b7 ,dismissal ) prejudice ,a c\rt ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates may dismiss ) prejudice a proce$+ "u ?is section aga9/ a =eign /ate or any (ficial1 employee1 or ag5t ( ! =eign /ate if ! ,secret>y ( ,/ate c]tifies t ! ,unit$ ,/ates & ! =eign /ate h ent]$ into an agreem5t ) respect to ! resolution ( a claim aga9/ su* a def5dant1 reg>dless ( :e!r ! pla9tiff is a p>ty to su* agreem5t or cons5ts to ! dismissal4 7e7 ,rule ( con/ruction ,a =eign /ate %all n be subject to ! jurisdiction ( ! c\rts ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates "u ?is section on ! basis ( a torti\s act or acts t con/itute m]e neglig5ce4 7f7 ,def9ition ,9 ?is section1 ! t]m ,,covid-#ai means ! coronavirus disease #bjai 7,,covid-#ai74 4 7b7 ,exceptions to ! immunity f atta*m5t or execution ,section #afaj7;g7 ( title #bh1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by ins]t+ 1 #afje;,b1 or #afje;,c aft] #afje;,a ea* place ! t]m appe>s4 7c7 ,te*nical & con=m+ am5dm5ts 7#a7 ,table ( sections ,! table ( sections = *apt] #ig ( title #bh1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by ins]t+ aft] ! item relat+ to section #afje;,b ! foll[+3 #afje;,c4 ,responsibility ( =eign /ates = delib]ate concealm5t or di/ort+ in=mation ab\t int]national public heal? em]g5cies ( int]national conc]n4 4 7#b7 ,con=m+ am5dm5t ,section #afje7;g77#a77;,a7 ( title #bh1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by /rik+ or section #afje;,b & ins]t+ 1 section #afje;,b1 or section #afje;,c4 7d7 ,sev]ability ,if any provision ( ?is ,act or any am5dm5t made by ?is ,act1 or ! application ( a provision or am5dm5t to any p]son or circum/ance1 is held to be invalid1 ! rema9d] ( ?is ,act & ! am5dm5ts made by ?is ,act1 & ! application ( ! provisions & am5dm5ts to any o!r p]son n simil>ly situat$ or to o!r circum/ances1 %all n be affect$ by ! hold+4 7e7 ,applicability ,! am5dm5ts made by ?is section %all apply to a civil action-- 7#a7 p5d+ on1 or comm5c$ on or aft]1 ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act2 & 7#b7 7,a7 aris+ out ( an injury to a p]son f ,,covid-#ai on or aft] ,janu>y #a1 #bjbj2 or 7,b7 aris+ out ( an injury to prop]ty or bus9ess dur+ ! national em]g5cy decl>$ by ! ,presid5t "u ! ,national ,em]g5cies ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq47 ) respect to ! coronavirus disease #bjai 7,,covid-#ai74