UPDATE: S.979 – Federal Advance Contracts Enhancement Act

LATEST ACTION: December 21, 2020 - Presented to President.

BILL TITLE: Federal Advance Contracts Enhancement Act

BILL SUMMARY:

Federal Advance Contracts Enhancement Act or the FACE Act

This bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to report to Congress on advance contracts. Advance contracts are established prior to disasters to provide life-sustaining goods and services in the immediate aftermath of a disaster.

The report must include (1) information required in the initial report on recurring disaster response requirements; and (2) an updated strategy that defines the objectives of advance contracts, how such contracts contribute to FEMA disaster response operations, how to maximize the award of advance contracts to small business concerns, and whether and how such contracts should be prioritized in relation to new post-disaster contract awards.

The bill sets forth additional duties of FEMA with respect to advance contracts, including requiring FEMA to (1) update and implement guidance for its program office and acquisition personnel to identify acquisition planning time frames and considerations across the entire acquisition planning process, and (2) communicate the purpose and use of a master acquisition planning schedule.

[NOTE: The contents of this legislative update are current as of 06:00 AM on December 23, 2020.]

BILL NUMBER: 116th Congress: Senate Bill 979 (S.979)

CHAMBER OF ORIGIN: U.S. Senate

CURRENT CHAMBER: U.S. House of Representatives

For DETAILED LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION on S.979, visit: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/979

BILL TEXT: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/979/text

ACTIONS-TO-DATE (ordered by most recent first):

12/21/2020 -- House -- Presented to President.

12/18/2020 -- House -- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

12/18/2020 -- House -- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 386 - 1 (Roll no. 246). (text: CR H7268)

12/18/2020 -- House -- Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H7271-7272)

12/18/2020 -- House -- At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

12/18/2020 -- House -- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 979.

12/18/2020 -- House -- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7268-7270)

12/18/2020 -- House -- Ms. Norton moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

11/12/2019 -- House -- Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

11/08/2019 -- House -- Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

11/08/2019 -- House -- Received in the House.

11/08/2019 -- Senate -- Message on Senate action sent to the House.

11/07/2019 -- Senate -- Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S6484; text: CR S6484-6485)

09/10/2019 -- Senate -- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 188.

09/10/2019 -- Senate -- Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson with amendments. With written report No. 116-84.

06/19/2019 -- Senate -- Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.

04/02/2019 -- Senate -- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

04/02/2019 -- Senate -- Introduced in Senate.

SPONSOR(S)*:

-- Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]

CO-SPONSOR(S)*:

[*Note: Sponsors and co-sponsors are current as of December 21, 2020. For the most up-to-date version of the sponsor and co-sponsor lists, visit: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/979/cosponsors ]

-- Sen. Johnson, Ron [R-WI]

-- Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]

-- Sen. Tillis, Thom [R-NC]

-- Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]

-- Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]

COMMITTEES: House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee; Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

SUBJECTS: Congressional oversight, Disaster relief and insurance, Government information and archives, Government studies and investigations, Public contracts and procurement.