S. 3949: Helping Parents Educate Children During the Coronavirus Pandemic

116th Congress · introduced 2020-06-11 · Taxation · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S2936)

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-06-11 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S2936) Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

Helping Parents Educate Children During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Plain summary

Helping Parents Educate Children During the Coronavirus Pandemic This bill expands the types of educational expenses that may be paid from a qualified tuition program (commonly known as a 529 plan) for students enrolled at or attending an elementary or secondary public, private, or religious school. It also permits payments of certain education expenses for home schooling during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency period beginning on March 13, 2020, and ending on the date the emergency period has ended. The bill also permits penalty free distributions from tax-preferred retirement plans for the period after February 29, 2020, and before January 1, 2021, if contributed to a 529 plan.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), 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

Helping Parents Educate Children During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Mike Lee (R-UT), Tim Scott (R-SC), Rick Scott (R-FL)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] reported raising $12.4 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (1)

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

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s3949.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s3949 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116