Sec. 501. COVID–19 public awareness campaign
514 words·~2 min read·
/bill/116/s/3740/is/section-501·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
There is appropriated to the Federal Communications Commission, out of any amounts in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2020, to remain available until expended, to establish a nationwide campaign to educate the public about COVID–19-related scams that— promise or offer a cure, treatment, or test for the virus; or seek to steal money or obtain personal identifiable information from the victim. There is appropriated to the Federal Trade Commission, out of any amounts in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2020, to remain available until expended, to establish a nationwide campaign to educate the public about COVID–19-related scams that— promise or offer a cure, treatment, or test for the virus; or seek to steal money or obtain personal identifiable information from the victim.
The Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission— shall each establish a separate nationwide campaign under paragraph
(1)or (2), respectively; and shall work in conjunction to establish the nationwide campaigns described in subparagraph
(A)of this paragraph, as appropriate. In conducting their respective and joint nationwide campaigns under subsection (a), the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission shall— conduct live webinars and tele-town halls in conjunction with relevant organizations with various constituencies on the national and local levels; create and publish public awareness materials describing recent scams and ways that the public can avoid falling victim; post the materials described in subparagraph
(A)to an easily noticeable location on their respective websites in various formats, including written, video, and web-interactive materials; and post the materials described in subparagraph
(A)on the website of the Federal Communications Commission or the Federal Trade Commission, as applicable, in a format that allows the materials to be easily printed, shared, or posted on external websites and social media; proactively share with national and local news outlets materials or web posts created about any new scam developments; conduct any other related activity in furtherance of efforts to make the public aware of corona-virus related scams; collaborate with other Federal agencies, such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Food and Drug Administration, and relevant State agencies, as appropriate to carry out the purposes of this subsection; in their collaborations with each other and in their individual work— place a special focus on making efforts to reach seniors who may not have— access to information posted on the internet or web-based media; or the ability to join webinars hosted by the Federal Communications Commission or the Federal Trade Commission (independently or separately); and in order to reach individuals described in subparagraph (A), partner with organizations that provide in-person services to seniors during the pandemic in order to ensure that those seniors regularly receive awareness materials about COVID–19-related scams; and in order to ensure that the materials produced under this subsection are accessible to and understandable by individuals who have limited English proficiency— work to ensure that the materials are translated into non-English languages; and consult with relevant stakeholder groups representing such communities on the best ways to ensure they such information is available to them.