PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

H.R. 8266: FEMA Assistance Relief Act of 2020

Before you vote › Federal bills

H.R. 8266: FEMA Assistance Relief Act of 2020

116th Congress · introduced 2020-09-16 · Emergency Management · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2020-09-16 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

FEMA Assistance Relief Act of 2020

Plain summary

FEMA Assistance Relief Act of 2020 This bill modifies the federal cost share of certain emergency assistance relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill provides for (1) a 100% federal cost share of assistance provided under the emergency declaration issued by the President on March 13, 2020, relating to COVID-19 and any subsequent major disaster declaration that supersedes it; and (2) at least a 90% federal cost share of assistance provided for any emergency or major disaster declared by the President from January 1-December 31, 2020. These provisions shall apply to funds appropriated on or after this bill's enactment. With respect to the emergency declaration issued on March 13, 2020, the President may provide assistance for activities, costs, and purchases of states, Indian tribal governments, or local governments, including, among other things backfill costs for first responders and other essential employees who are ill or quarantined; increased operating costs for essential government services due to such emergency; personal protective equipment and other critical supplies and services for first responders; and costs of procuring and distributing food to individuals affected by the pandemic. The bill (1) directs the President to provide financial assistance to meet disaster-related funeral expenses (subject to the availability of appropriations), and (2) authorizes specified assistance in advance. FEMA must enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to convene a committee of experts to study the use of certain assistance to respond to an emergency that does not cause physical damages. The bill extends by one year federal disaster assistance to individuals and households.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

FEMA Assistance Relief Act of 2020

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4] · 43 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Mike Thompson (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Chris Pappas (D-NH), John Garamendi (D-CA), André Carson (D-IN), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Stacey E. Plaskett (D-VI), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Angie Craig (D-MN), Judy Chu (D-CA)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong116-hr8266 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116