S. 3739Senate116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

POWER Act

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Updated April 14, 2026 at 12:21 PM UTC

The POWER Act lets the Health and Human Services Secretary waive the non‑federal matching‑fund requirement for grants and subgrants under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act. States can ask for a waiver for funds awarded in fiscal years 2019 and 2020, and the law also automatically suspends the matching‑fund rule for new grants during a COVID‑19 public‑health emergency.

Key Provisions

States may request that HHS waive the required non‑federal contributions for FVPSA formula grants and subgrants for FY 2019‑2020, and the related reporting on those contributions.
For any grant or subgrant awarded after the law’s enactment and covered by sections 306, 308, or 309 of the FVPSA, the matching‑fund requirement does not apply while a public‑health emergency related to COVID‑19 is declared.
The term “qualified grant” is defined as any grant or subgrant under the specified FVPSA sections that is awarded after the act becomes law.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

May 14, 2020

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

May 14, 2020

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

May 14, 2020

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued May 14, 2020

116th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3739

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 14, 2020

Mr. Casey (for himself and Ms. Murkowski) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

To provide for matching funds waivers for formula grants and subgrants under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Protect Our Women and Waive Emergency Requirements Act or the POWER Act.

Matching funds waiver for formula grants and subgrants under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act

(a)

Waiver of matching funds for awarded grants and subgrants

At the request of a State (as defined in section 302 of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (42 U.S.C. 10402)), the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall waive—

(1)

the non-Federal contributions requirement under subsection (c)(4) of section 306 of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (42 U.S.C. 10406) with respect to the grants and subgrants awarded for fiscal years 2019 and 2020 to such State and the eligible entities within such State under such section or section 308 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 10408); and

(2)

the reporting requirements required for such subgrants and grants that relate to such non-Federal contributions requirement.

(b)

Waiver of matching funds for grants awarded after date of enactment

(1)

In general

Subsection (c)(4) of section 306 of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (42 U.S.C. 10406) shall not apply to a qualified grant during the period of a public health emergency declared pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) resulting from the COVID–19 pandemic.

(2)

Qualified grant defined

In this subsection, the term qualified grant means a grant or subgrant awarded—

(A)

after the date of enactment of this section; and

(B)

under section 306, 308, or 309 of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (42 U.S.C. 10406, 10408, 10409).