S. 4499: COVID–19 Misinformation and Disinformation Task Force Act of 2020

116th Congress · introduced 2020-08-06 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-08-06 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI] · 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 Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. 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

COVID–19 Misinformation and Disinformation Task Force Act of 2020

Plain summary

COVID-19 Misinformation and Disinformation Task Force Act of 2020 This bill establishes an interagency COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) misinformation and disinformation task force. The task force shall include a representative from not less than one agency that regularly engages with racial or ethnic minority communities, rural communities, and other underserved populations. The functions of the task force shall be coordinating the analysis of COVID-19 misinformation and disinformation by agencies across the federal government, developing integrated analyses of COVID-19 misinformation and disinformation in a manner that protects individual privacy and civil liberties, coordinating the dissemination to federal agencies and the White House Coronavirus Task Force of analyses developed by individual agencies and integrated analyses, and developing and disseminating information literacy and information resilience public awareness campaigns relating to pandemics. The task force shall (1) ensure that the activities of the task force advance a compelling government interest related to COVID-19 misinformation and disinformation, (2) ensure that the activities of the task force are narrowly tailored to advance that interest while minimizing impacts on speech and expression that is not COVID-19 misinformation and disinformation, and (3) create procedures and internal policies that document the implications. The bill provides for (1) privacy and civil liberties oversight by the Department of Homeland Security, congressional briefings, and a public report; and (2) coordinated messaging.

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

COVID–19 Misinformation and Disinformation Task Force Act of 2020

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jack Reed (D-RI)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI] reported raising $303,094 (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 (2)

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).
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

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-116s4499.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s4499 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116