Coronavirus Containment Corps Act

Coronavirus Containment Corps Act

This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop, within 21 days, a nationwide contact tracing strategy for COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) that addresses, among other issues, workforce needs. To implement that strategy, the bill also establishes grant programs in the CDC and the Indian Health Service (IHS), as well as expands grant programs in the Department of Labor.

Specifically, the CDC must award grants to state and local health departments for, among other purposes, hiring and training individuals for contact tracing positions and related roles, and the IHS must award similar grants to tribes and tribal organizations. In addition, Labor shall award certain grants for dislocated workers to states, tribes, and other jurisdictions to support the hiring, deployment, and relevant employment transitions of individuals in contact tracing positions and related roles.

Additionally, grants and contracts that include contact tracing and related roles within the scope of work must comply with prevailing wage requirements that apply to federal service contracts. Employees who work under such grants or contracts must receive wages and fringe benefits that are not less than those prevailing in the locality where work is performed.

Finally, the CDC and Labor must report certain information in accordance with specified timelines, and the Government Accountability Office must evaluate the activities of funding recipients.