HR-6396 : Still Just a Bill


Responsible Relief for Americans Act

This bill revises and establishes economic assistance measures in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).

Specifically, the bill provides funding for and authorizes the Small Business Administration (SBA) to guarantee paycheck protection loans made to small businesses. Recipients of such loans are eligible for forgiveness of amounts expended for specified costs such as payroll. Small businesses may request an advance of up $10,000 on an SBA disaster loan for which they have applied in response to COVID-19.

Further the bill

  • requires the SBA to temporarily pay the principal, interest, and any associated fees that are owed on certain SBA loans;
  • repeals provisions that require an employer to provide paid sick leave for employees who are unable to work due to COVID-19;
  • repeals provisions authorizing the use of certain funds to provide educational assistance and training for U.S. workers;
  • provides additional time for federal contractors to carry out their responsibilities and guarantees payment continuation for federal contractors who are delayed or interrupted because of COVID-19;
  • increases and expands the tax deduction for certain trade or business income;
  • authorizes borrowers with federally backed mortgages who are experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19 to request forbearance;
  • revises provisions relating to health savings accounts (HSAs), including to allow increased participation in HSAs and to increase the limit on contributions to HSAs;
  • expands reporting requirements for pharmaceutical manufacturers; and
  • extends the deadline for filing 2019 individual income tax returns from April 15, 2019, to November 15, 2019.

Action Timeline

Action DateTypeTextSource
2020-09-30CommitteeReferred to the Subcommittee on Health.House committee actions
2020-09-30CommitteeReferred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.House committee actions
2020-08-13CommitteeReferred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit.House committee actions
2020-03-26IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, Oversight and Reform, House Administration, Energy and Commerce, Small Business, the Judiciary, Financial Services, Veterans' Affairs, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2020-03-26IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, Oversight and Reform, House Administration, Energy and Commerce, Small Business, the Judiciary, Financial Services, Veterans' Affairs, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2020-03-26IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, Oversight and Reform, House Administration, Energy and Commerce, Small Business, the Judiciary, Financial Services, Veterans' Affairs, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2020-03-26IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, Oversight and Reform, House Administration, Energy and Commerce, Small Business, the Judiciary, Financial Services, Veterans' Affairs, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2020-03-26IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, Oversight and Reform, House Administration, Energy and Commerce, Small Business, the Judiciary, Financial Services, Veterans' Affairs, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2020-03-26IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, Oversight and Reform, House Administration, Energy and Commerce, Small Business, the Judiciary, Financial Services, Veterans' Affairs, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2020-03-26IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, Oversight and Reform, House Administration, Energy and Commerce, Small Business, the Judiciary, Financial Services, Veterans' Affairs, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2020-03-26IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, Oversight and Reform, House Administration, Energy and Commerce, Small Business, the Judiciary, Financial Services, Veterans' Affairs, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2020-03-26IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, Oversight and Reform, House Administration, Energy and Commerce, Small Business, the Judiciary, Financial Services, Veterans' Affairs, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2020-03-26IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, Oversight and Reform, House Administration, Energy and Commerce, Small Business, the Judiciary, Financial Services, Veterans' Affairs, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2020-03-26IntroReferralIntroduced in HouseLibrary of Congress

Policy Area :

Economics and Public Finance
Related Subjects
  • Accounting and auditing
  • Administrative law and regulatory procedures
  • Agricultural prices, subsidies, credit
  • Appropriations
  • Bank accounts, deposits, capital
  • Banking and financial institutions regulation
  • Cardiovascular and respiratory health
  • Congressional oversight
  • Consumer credit
  • Corporate finance and management
  • Credit and credit markets
  • Disaster relief and insurance
  • Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
  • Economic performance and conditions
  • Emergency medical services and trauma care
  • Employee benefits and pensions
  • Employee leave
  • Executive agency funding and structure
  • Government corporations and government-sponsored enterprises
  • Government lending and loan guarantees
  • Government studies and investigations
  • Health care costs and insurance
  • Health care coverage and access
  • Health technology, devices, supplies
  • Housing and community development funding
  • Housing finance and home ownership
  • Income tax deductions
  • Infectious and parasitic diseases
  • Inflation and prices
  • Interest, dividends, interest rates
  • Manufacturing
  • Prescription drugs
  • Public contracts and procurement
  • Religion
  • Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
  • Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
  • Transfer and inheritance taxes
  • Unemployment
  • Wages and earnings
  • Women in business
  • Business expenses
  • Landlord and tenant
Related Geographic Entities
Related Organizations
  • Small Business Administration