117th CONGRESS 1st Session |
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide funding for State strike teams for resident and employee safety in skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities.
February 3, 2021
Mr. Panetta (for himself, Mr. Gottheimer, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Crow, and Mrs. Murphy of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide funding for State strike teams for resident and employee safety in skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
This Act may be cited as the “Sending Outside Support Act of 2021” or the “SOS Act of 2021”.
SEC. 2. Funding for State strike teams for resident and employee safety in skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities.
(a) In general.—Of the amounts made available under subsection (c), the Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as the “Secretary”) shall allocate such amounts among the States, in a manner that takes into account the percentage of skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities in each State that have residents or employees who have been diagnosed with COVID–19, for purposes of establishing and implementing strike teams in accordance with subsection (b).
(b) Use of funds.—A State that receives funds under this section shall use such funds to establish and implement a strike team that will be deployed to a skilled nursing facility or nursing facility in the State with diagnosed or suspected cases of COVID–19 among residents or staff for the purposes of assisting with clinical care, infection control, or staffing.
(c) Authorization of appropriations.—For purposes of carrying out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $500,000,000.
(d) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) NURSING FACILITY.—The term “nursing facility” has the meaning given such term in section 1919(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r(a)).
(2) SKILLED NURSING FACILITY.—The term “skilled nursing facility” has the meaning given such term in section 1819(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i–3(a)).