Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Ron Kind voted for the updated Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act. This legislation would provide relief to Wisconsinites as the COVID-19 crisis continues and includes support for small businesses, assistance for industries hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, an additional round of $1,200 stimulus checks for taxpayers and $500 for dependents, restored weekly unemployment benefits, and expanded funding for education and child care.

“Relief for Wisconsinites is long overdue as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, which is why I voted for the updated HEROES Act today,” said Rep. Ron Kind. “With COVID-19 cases on the rise in Wisconsin’s Third District and across our state, we can’t afford to wait. However, there’s more work to be done to address this ongoing health and economic crisis. I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and fight to ensure Wisconsin families, workers, small businesses, farmers, and health care systems have the support they need during these challenging times.”

The updated HEROES Act also includes provisions to:

  • Expand testing and contact tracing, and ensure COVID-19 treatment is free for all Americans
  • Support state, local, and tribal governments and ensure they can pay essential workers like first responders and health workers
  • Help employers keep workers on payroll by expanding and improving the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
  • Support farmers and producers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Increase protections for workers by requiring OSHA to issue an enforceable standard to ensure workplaces develop and implement infection control plans based on CDC standards
  • Support renters and homeowners by providing assistance with monthly rent, mortgage, and utility payments, and other housing-related costs
  • Provide grants for restaurants and music venues, some of the hardest hit industries, to make sure they can remain in business

Over the past months, Rep. Kind has voted for four bipartisan relief packages to help families, workers, businesses, farmers, and our health care system survive the damages caused by COVID-19. These packages have expanded access to emergency paid sick leave and emergency paid family leave, boosted unemployment benefits, protected front line health workers, increased access to meals for those without food security, increased funding for small business relief, expanded relief for farmers, and more.

In addition to helping craft critical portions of the updated HEROES Act, Rep. Kind has also taken a number of actions to support Wisconsinites as this crisis continues, such as introducing legislation to expand access to telehealthhelp independent music and entertainment venues keep their doors open, ensure college students receive their fair share of economic impact payments, protect nursing home residents from COVID-19 and future outbreaks, ensure farmers can access PPP loans, and urging the Administration to provide PPE to Wisconsin nursing homesincrease access to testing in Wisconsin’s Third Congressional District, and support family farmers in need.

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