,,ii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dcae ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #bc1 #bjbj,mr4 ,king 7for himself and ,ms4 ,murkowski7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to authorize the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services to award grants to eligible entities to conduct testing and contact tracing for ,,covid-#ai1 and related activities such as supported isolation1 through mobile health units and1 as necessary1 at individuals' residences1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,,covid-#ai ,testing1 ,reaching1 ,and ,contacting ,everyone ,act or the ,,trace ,act4 #b4 ,,covid-#ai testing and contact tracing using mobile health units 7a7 ,in general 7#a7 ,grants ,the ,secretary1 acting through the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 may award grants to eligible entities to conduct testing for ,,covid-#ai1 to trace and monitor the contacts of infected individuals1 and to support the quarantine and isolation of such contacts1 and by providing such services-- 7,a7 through mobile health units2 7,b7 through community-based organizations2 or 7,c7 with respect to quarantine and isolation of contacts1 at individuals' residences or another facility that a ,state1 territorial1 ,tribal1 or local health authority has provided for such purposes4 7#b7 ,use of existing mechanisms and programs ,the ,secretary may use existing mechanisms and programs to administer and distribute grants under paragraph 7#a74 7b7 ,permissible uses of funds ,a recipient of a grant under this section may use the grant funds to-- 7#a7 hire1 train1 and equip personnel to provide services described in subsection 7a77#a72 7#b7 cover other expenses related to carrying out the activities described in subsection 7a77#a71 which may include covering appropriate and related expenses incurred by individuals receiving services described in subsection 7a77#a72 or 7#c7 purchase personal protective equipment1 testing supplies and equipment1 and other supplies for persons carrying out the activities or receiving services described in subsection 7a77#a74 7c7 ,applicants 7#a7 ,in general ,to be eligible to receive a grant under this section1 an eligible entity shall submit an application to the ,secretary1 at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require1 including the entity's proposal for using evidence-based models for testing1 tracing1 and supported isolation4 7#b7 ,priority ,in selecting grant recipients under this section1 the ,secretary shall give priority to applicants that meet one or more of the following criteria1 in proportion to the number of the following criteria met3 7,a7 ,proposing to conduct activities funded under this section in hot spots and medically underserved communities4 7,b7 ,for purposes of carrying out activities funded under this section1 proposing to hire residents of the area or community where the activities will primarily occur1 with priority among applicants described in this subparagraph given in proportion to the percentage of individuals to be hired from such area or community4 7,c7 ,with respect to contact tracing activities1 demonstrating experience or expertise in training1 conducting1 participating in1 or administering public health contact tracing programs4 7,d7 ,committing to distributing at least #cj percent of grant funds received under this section to county and other local governmental entities within the ,state that do not receive funds directly from the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services for the programs supported by an award under this section4 7d7 ,distribution ,in selecting grant recipients under this section1 the ,secretary shall ensure that grants are distributed across urban and rural areas4 7e7 ,federal privacy requirements ,nothing in this section shall be construed to supersede any ,federal privacy or confidentiality requirement1 including the regulations promulgated under section #bfd7;c7 of the ,health ,insurance ,portability and ,accountability ,act of #aiif 7,public ,law #ajd-aia2 #aaj ,stat4 #bjcc7 and section #edc of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bij;dd-#b74 7f7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,the term eligible entity means an entity that-- 7,a7 is-- 7i7 a federally qualified health center 7as defined in section #ahfa7;aa7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7aa7772 7ii7 a school-based health clinic2 7iii7 a disproportionate share hospital 7as defined under the applicable ,state plan under title ,,xix of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acif et seq47 pursuant to section #aibc7;a77#a77;,a7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acifr-#d772 7iv7 an academic medical center2 7v7 a nonprofit organization 7including any such faith-based organization72 7vi7 an institution of higher education 7as defined in section #aja of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja772 7vii7 a high school 7as defined in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja772 or 7viii7 an ,indian ,tribe or a ,tribal ,organization as defined in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd72 and 7,b7 is working in coordination with a ,state1 territorial1 ,tribal1 county1 or municipal health department4 7#b7 ,the term emergency period has the meaning given to that term in section #aace7;g77#a77;,b7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acbj;b-#e7;g77#a77;,b774 7#c7 ,the term hot spot means a geographic area where the prevalence or incidence of ,,sars-,co,v-#b 7the virus that causes ,,covid-#ai7 or of ,,covid-#ai exceeds the national or ,state average4 7#d7 ,the term medically underserved community has the meaning given to that term in section #gii;,b of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #biep74 7#e7 ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services4 7g7 ,authorization of appropriations ,to carry out this section1 there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years #bjbj and #bjba1 and for any subsequent fiscal year during which the emergency period continues4