S. 26 – Drug-Free Communities Pandemic Relief Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 7, 2026 at 9:32 PM UTC

The Drug-Free Communities Pandemic Relief Act lets the Administrator of the Drug-Free Communities Support Program give out larger federal grants when COVID‑19 makes it hard for local coalitions to raise their required non‑federal matching funds. It applies to eligible coalitions that have agreements with the program and are affected by the public‑health emergency. The rule only changes how much federal money can be provided; it does not alter the program’s overall goals.

Key Provisions

If a coalition cannot raise the non‑federal funds it promised because of the COVID‑19 emergency, the Administrator may waive the usual funding limit and give a larger grant.
For an initial or renewal grant, the federal amount can exceed the coalition’s non‑federal contributions.
For certain renewal grants, the federal amount can be up to 125% or 150% of the coalition’s non‑federal contributions, depending on the grant type.
The Administrator cannot give a grant that exceeds the total amount originally agreed to be provided under the coalition’s agreement.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

January 22, 2021

View full timeline

SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

January 22, 2021

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

January 22, 2021

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 26 on the floor

1 Democrat

Sen. Amy KlobucharD-MN · Apr 14, 2021

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent for the legislative activities report of the Committee on Rules and Administration during the 116th Congress be printed in the Congressional Record.

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode

Raw Text PDF XML

Introduced in SenateIssued January 22, 2021

II

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 26

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

January 22, 2021

Mr. Portman (for himself, Mrs. Shaheen, Mrs. Capito, and Mr. Whitehouse) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To provide the Administrator of the Drug-Free Communities Support Program the authority to waive the Federal fund limitation for the Drug-Free Communities Support Program.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Drug-Free Communities Pandemic Relief Act.

2.

Waiver of Federal fund limitation for the Drug-Free Communities Support Program

(a)

In general

Subject to subsection (b), if the Administrator of the Drug-Free Communities Support Program determines that, as a result of the public health emergency declared pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) as a result of COVID–19, an eligible coalition is unable to raise the amount of non-Federal funds, including in-kind contributions, agreed to be raised by the coalition for a fiscal year under an agreement entered into with the Administrator pursuant to paragraph (1)(A) or (3) of section 1032(b) of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 (21 U.S.C. 1532(b)), the Administrator may, notwithstanding such paragraphs, provide to the eligible coalition the grant or renewal grant, as applicable, for that fiscal year in an amount—

(1)

with respect to an initial grant or renewal grant described under paragraph (1)(A) or (3)(A) of such section, that exceeds the amount of non-Federal funds raised by the eligible coalition, including in-kind contributions, for that fiscal year;

(2)

with respect to a renewal grant described under paragraph (3)(D)(i) of such section, that exceeds 125 percent of the amount of non-Federal funds raised by the eligible coalition, including in-kind contributions, for that fiscal year; and

(3)

with respect to a renewal grant described under paragraph (3)(D)(ii) of such section, that exceeds 150 percent of the amount of non-Federal funds raised by the eligible coalition, including in-kind contributions, for that fiscal year.

(b)

Limitation

The Administrator may not provide a grant or renewal grant to an eligible coalition in an amount exceeding the amount of funds initially agreed to be provided by the Administrator under the applicable agreement.