Free Republic

Congress is considering H.R. 6666, the “Testing, Reaching, And Contacting Everyone Act” (“TRACE Act”), a bill by U.S. Representative Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19. The bill ostensibly would achieve that goal by creating “mobile health units” to “conduct diagnostic testing . . . trace and monitor the contacts of infected individuals” and then “support the quarantine of such contacts”—all at the cost of $100 billion. Rush says that “increased testing and contact tracing is the only way we will get back normal and safely reopen our economy.” Essentially, Rush’s position—which is echoed by the bulk...

The bill is titled "H.R. 6666 — COVID-19 Testing, Reaching, And Contacting Everyone," or the TRACE Act. It aims to provide $100 billion in funding for the Health and Human Service Department for the purpose of "diagnostic testing for COVID–19, to trace and monitor the contacts of infected individuals, and to support the quarantine of such contacts ..." The bill also says that it will provide, "as necessary, testing [for] individuals and ... services related to testing and quarantine at their residences."

This Act may be cited as the “COVID–19 Testing, Reaching, And Contacting Everyone (TRACE) Act”. SEC. 2. COVID–19 TESTING AND CONTACT TRACING USING MOBILE HEALTH UNITS. (a) In General.—The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may award grants to eligible entities to conduct diagnostic testing for COVID–19, to trace and monitor the contacts of infected individuals, and to support the quarantine of such contacts, through— (1) mobile health units; and (2) as necessary, testing individuals and providing individuals with services related to testing and quarantine at their residences....