NYAPRS Note: As we reported this morning, the House has introduced a major $3 trillion COVID-19 response plan that they plan to approve this Friday that represents their opening negotiating position with the Senate and White House. NYAPRS is very pleased to see $540 billion for states, $375 billion for cities, counties and local governments and $175 billion for health care providers to reimburse them for coronavirus-related expenses and lost revenue, in addition to supporting testing efforts.
The text of the bill, which spans more than 1,800 pages, includes hazard pay for frontline health care workers, forgiveness of student debt and bolstering Medicaid and Medicare. The bill is known as the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act, or HEROES Act.
The Senate and White House have indicated they’re in no rush to respond prior to Memorial Day although White House economic advisor indicated that some 3 way discussions were in process. The Senate has insisted that a final agreement include provisions to protect employees from legal liability should returning employees contract the virus; the White House has indicated it wants to see a payroll tax cut.
NYAPRS hopes that New York State will find a way to hold off on potentially devastating local cuts until a pending agreement can be reached.
House Democrats Unveil Details Of $3T Economic Rescue Plan
By Caitlin Emma Politico May 12, 2020
House Democrats on Tuesday released the text of a mammoth coronavirus response plan totaling more than $3 trillion, cementing their priorities for the next round of congressional negotiations to deliver more pandemic relief and assistance for a cratering economy.
The lower chamber is expected to vote on the bill Friday.
The 1,815-page bill — dubbed the “Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act“ or “HEROES Act,” H.R. 6800 (116) — would provide states and local governments nearly $1 trillion that could be used to replace drastic revenue shortfalls. That includes $540 billion for states, territories and tribes, in addition to $375 billion for cities, counties and local governments.
The package would provide another round of $1,200 direct payments to Americans, according to a summary of the bill, in addition to $10 billion in small business grants. About $175 billion would go to health care providers to reimburse them for coronavirus-related expenses and lost revenue, in addition to supporting testing efforts.
The bill would provide more than $100 billion in additional stimulus funding for education and also calls for up to $10,000 of loan forgiveness for borrowers of federal and private student loans.
House Democrats would boost funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by $10 billion and child nutrition programs by $3 billion, among other food assistance.
The bill provides $75 billion in assistance for homeowners, $100 billion for emergency aid to help low-income renters avoid evictions and $750 million for people living in project-based rental assistance properties.
State departments of transportation and transit agencies would each receive about $15 billion.
The struggling Postal Service would receive $25 billion and the Census Bureau would receive $400 million to deal with pandemic-related delays to the 2020 count.
Congress has already mounted a nearly $3 trillion response to the coronavirus pandemic over the course of four separate bills, which will result in an expansion of the federal deficit to nearly $4 trillion this year, the Congressional Budget Office projects.
Senate Republicans aren’t in a hurry to launch bipartisan negotiations. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said the party is still “assessing what we’ve done already,” while raising concerns about the toll on the federal debt and focusing on designing liability protections for businesses as states look to reopen their economies in the coming weeks.
———–
House Democrats Unveil Massive New Coronavirus Relief Bill Ahead Of Friday Vote
CBS News
Washington — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled Democrats’ proposal for the next phase of coronavirus relief legislation on Tuesday, releasing a massive legislative package that Democrats hope to bring to a vote as early as Friday.
The text of the bill, which spans more than 1,800 pages, includes assistance to state and local governments, hazard pay for frontline health care workers, forgiveness of student debt and bolstering Medicaid and Medicare. The bill is known as the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act, or HEROES Act.
The bill also includes provisions to assist farmers, protect renters and homeowners from evictions and foreclosures, and extend family and medical leave provisions previously approved by Congress. The legislation would also provide relief for essential workers, such as aviation, rail and Amtrak workers, as well as extend work visas for immigrants.
In an interview with MSNBC on Monday evening, Pelosi said there is a “monumental” need for the next legislative package, with a focus on helping struggling Americans and cash-strapped states and localities.
“We have a big need. It’s monumental. And therefore, it’s a great opportunity to say: let’s work together to get this done. There’s a way to open the economy based on science, testing, testing, testing and let’s get on with it. That’s what we’re here to do,” Pelosi told MSNBC anchor Chris Hayes.
Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has suggested it is unnecessary to immediately begin work on a new aid package. He said during an appearance at a livestream event for the Trump campaign that he intends to “hit pause” on coronavirus relief funds.
“We now have a debt the size of our economy,” he noted. “So I’ve said, and the president has said as well, that we have to take a pause here and take a look at what we’ve done.”
Congress in March passed three massive legislative packages to offer coronavirus relief, including a $2 trillion package which expanded unemployment insurance and created a loan program for small businesses. In April, Congress passed an interim bill to bolster funding for the loans, known as the Paycheck Protection Program, which quickly ran out of funds.
Governors and mayors across the country have called for financial assistance from the federal government. Pelosi suggested on Monday that the next legislative package include assistance for states and localities, as well as hazard pay for frontline health care workers.
“To those who would suggest a pause, I’ll say the hunger doesn’t take a pause. The rent doesn’t take a pause. The hardship doesn’t take a pause,” Pelosi told Hayes on Monday.
McConnell and House Republicans have previously indicated that they would want to see liability protections for businesses and health care employers in the next phase of coronavirus relief legislation.