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On May 1, 2020, U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush of Illinois introduced the Testing, Reaching, and Contacting Everyone (TRACE) Act to the U.S. House of Representatives, a piece of legislation that was assigned the ominous-sounding number H.R. 6666. The intent of H.R. 6666, as summarized on GovTrack, is as follows: A popular meme asserted that the substance of H.R. 6666 would give $100 billion to schools, churches, and medical buildings, and that they only way they can receive the money is to agree by contract that they will only allow people into their facilities that have the COVID-19 vaccination [and] are tested and tracked: The text of the bill does allow for an appropriation of up to $100 billion for fiscal year 2020 to award grants to eligible entities to conduct diagnostic testing for COVID–19, and related activities such as contact tracing, through mobile health units and, as necessary, at individuals’ residences, and for other purposes. Eligible entities include federally qualified health centers, school-based health clinics, disproportionate share hospitals, academic medical centers, nonprofit organizations (including faith-based organizations), institutions of higher education, and high schools. However, the bill text makes no reference to any contractual terms requiring qualifying entities to agree that they will only allow people into their facilities that have the COVID-19 vaccination [and] are tested and tracked. In fact, such a requirement would be impossible to satisfy, as no COVID-19 vaccine yet exists. One of the services covered by the grants is contact tracing, which, as explained by the CDC, involves the following: In short, the Act would, if passed (it currently sits in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce), create grants for health care, school-based, academic, and nonprofit entities to run mobile testing sites and hire staff to perform diagnostic tests and contact tracing. It doesn't include any additional or hidden contractual terms.
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