Cárdenas Applauds Passage of The Heroes Act
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Cárdenas applauded passage of The Heroes Act, House Democrats’ urgently-needed legislation to address the unprecedented coronavirus health and economic crisis and provide desperately needed support for struggling families and essential workers, with funds for testing and tracing measures, key support for frontline workers and strengthened assistance for the American people.
“We are in the midst of the worst economic crisis since World War II. This extraordinary moment in history demands an equally extraordinary response. The Trump Administration’s slow response to the coronavirus pandemic have resulted in nearly 1.5 million people infected, over 87,000 American deaths, and more than 36 million unemployed workers. The Heroes Act is the kind of bold legislation we need to lift our nation out of this crisis. I am proud to stand with my colleagues to pass this critical legislation in support of our heroes on the front lines of this crisis and to provide Americans in the San Fernando Valley and across the country the relief they urgently need. The Heroes Act is necessary to ensure that every community have the support and resources needed to weather this storm. It’s time for Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans to move quickly and pass this bill.”
The Heroes Act provides California government and local communities on the frontlines of this crisis with robust, desperately needed funding to cover coronavirus-related outlays and revenue loss and to pay our health care workers, first responders, EMS, teachers, sanitation workers, transit workers and other vital workers who keep us safe and are in danger of losing their jobs.
In addition to resources for our state, local, tribal and territorial governments, the Heroes Act provides transformative, far-reaching support to protect the lives and livelihoods of the American people and the life of our democracy.
- Provides strong support for our heroes by establishing a $200 billion Heroes’ fund to ensure that essential workers across the country receive hazard pay.
- Puts money in the pockets of workers with a second round of direct payments to families up to $6,000 per household, new payroll protection measures to keep 60 million workers connected with their jobs and extending weekly $600 federal unemployment payments through next January.
- Supports small businesses by strengthening the Payroll Protection Program to ensure that it reaches underserved communities, nonprofits of all sizes and types and responds flexibly to small businesses by providing $10 billion for COVID-19 emergency grants through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.
- Ensures further support for Valley families and all Americans, including for:
- Health security – with COBRA subsidies and a special enrollment period in the ACA exchanges for those without insurance.
- Workplace security – requiring OSHA to ensure that all workplaces develop science-based infection control plans and preventing employers from retaliating against workers who report problems.
- Housing security – with $175 billion in new supports to assist renters and homeowners make monthly rent, mortgage and utility payments and other housing-related costs.
- Food security – with a 15 percent increase to the maximum SNAP benefit and additional funding for nutrition programs that help families put food on the table.
- Protects the life of our democracy with new resources to ensure safe elections, an accurate Census, and preserve the Postal Service.
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