Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Ron Kind voted for the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act, which passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support. This bill ensures state and local governments have the resources they need to continue to manage the health and economic consequences of COVID-19. The HEROES Act will also provide additional funding for testing and contact tracing and require the Administration to develop a national strategic plan on testing while giving families, farmers, workers, and small businesses additional support during this crisis.
“The economic downturn compounded by a public health crisis is creating hardships for so many across the state. Supporting Wisconsin workers and families during this deeply difficult time is my top priority,” said Rep. Ron Kind. “This week Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell warned that if Congress does not act, there will be severe economic hardships ahead. This bill is the start of a process that will end with bringing relief to those who need it most by including support for essential workers, families, farmers, small businesses, retirees, and more. While this legislation is far from perfect, we can’t afford to wait, it is vital that we provide funding to our local, state, and tribal governments to help mitigate the financial strain caused by COVID-19, and we do it now. It’s crucial that we sure Wisconsinites have a lifeline during these unprecedented times.”
The HEROES Act includes a number of Rep. Kind’s priorities, including:
- Ensures treatment for COVID-19 is free for all Americans.
- Makes all dependents, including dependent adults & college students, eligible for Economic Impact Payments.
- Provides loan forgiveness flexibility for small businesses under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
- Makes Critical Access Hospitals eligible for the PPP.
- Provides another $100 billion for health care providers to ensure they can continue to serve their communities during the pandemic.
- Funds additional rural broadband deployment.
- Provides a lifeline for the United States Postal Service in order to continue service in rural areas.
- Creates an expanded dairy donation program to better connect dairy farmers to food banks.
