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H.R. 1009: COVID–19 Language Access Act

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H.R. 1009: COVID–19 Language Access Act

117th Congress · introduced 2021-02-11 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2021-02-11 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. 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

COVID–19 Language Access Act

Plain summary

COVID-19 Language Access Act This bill requires each federal agency that receives federal assistance related to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic to translate any English language written material prepared for the general public relating to the pandemic, including COVID-19 vaccine distribution and education, into specified languages not later than seven days after such material is made available in English. Such languages shall include, at a minimum, the following: Spanish, Arabic, Cambodian, Chinese, Haitian Creole, French, Hindi, Hmong, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Russian, Tagalog, Urdu, Vietnamese, Greek, Polish, Thai, and Portuguese.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in 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

COVID–19 Language Access Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6] · 49 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Al Green (D-TX), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA), Ed Case (D-HI), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Jesús G. "Chuy" García (D-IL), André Carson (D-IN), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA), Ritchie Torres (D-NY), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX), Ami Bera (D-CA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Andy Kim (D-NJ), William R. Keating (D-MA), Thomas R. Suozzi (D-NY)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6] reported raising $2.2 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

Record fed-us-cong117-hr1009 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117