GRACE Act

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Apr 20, 2021

Giving Relief to American Communities in Emergencies Act or the GRACE Act

This bill extends authority through FY2022 for the Department of Transportation (DOT) to distribute formula funding for certain programs using the 2000 Census for areas that lost their urbanized area designation because their population fell below 50,000 after the 2000 census as a result of a major disaster.

Upon request by a state in which an urbanized area that experiences a disaster-related population decrease is located, DOT may elect for purposes of the public transportation emergency relief program to (1) use the population of such area, as determined in the decennial census before the most recent decennial census; and (2) continue to treat the area as an urbanized area.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] · R–TX

Committees

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee

2 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Apr 20, 2021
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Apr 20, 2021
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in Senate · Apr 20, 2021 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.1223 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Discuss S.1223, 117th Congress: GRACE Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1223

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2021-04-20.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/s1223/BILLS-117s1223is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T15:03:01Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.1223 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.1223 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

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Discuss S.1223, 117th Congress: GRACE Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1223

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2021-04-20.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/s1223/BILLS-117s1223is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T15:03:01Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1223 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.1223 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

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Discuss S.1223, 117th Congress: GRACE Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1223

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2021-04-20.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/s1223/BILLS-117s1223is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T15:03:01Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1223 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.1223 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.1223, 117th Congress: GRACE Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1223

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2021-04-20.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/s1223/BILLS-117s1223is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T15:03:01Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1223 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.