Waters urges Congress to pass the Heroes

WATERS URGES CONGRESS TO PASS THE HEROES ACT

In the second week of May, a motion was introduced to the House of Representatives by the House Democratic

Leadership seeking to pass the Health and Economic

Recovery Omnibus Emergency

Solution Act (H.R. 6800), also known as the HEROES Act. The

House Democratic Leadership developed the Act in its effort to initiate negotiations on the next relief effort to combat the persisting Covid-19 pandemic. The Act is a primary statement of priorities for

House Democrats in the upcoming negotiations with the Senate and the Whitehouse on the next move towards the issuance of another Covid-19 relief legislation.

Chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, is one of the members who strongly supported and pushed for the passing of the HEROES Act. The Congresswoman on May 15 during the house proceedings states, “I rise in strong support of H.R. 6800, the Heroes Act. This legislation includes a number of important proposals from the Members of the Financial Services Committee, and builds upon my proposal for more direct payments to families by providing a second round of stimulus payments of up to $6,000 per household.”

According to Maxine’s statement, the Act has included most of the affected economic sectors such as homeownership, credit reporting, debt collection, Community development financial institutions, as well as supporting the production of diagnostic tests and PPEs. The Act contains policies that are primarily focused on providing direct relief for state and local governments, taxpayers, and frontline workers in the U.S. However, unlike the previous two relief packages, the HEROES Act does not provide any funds for the Pay check Protection Program (PPP).

In her statement during the House proceedings, Congresswoman Maxine Waters urges all members to support the Act’s legislation. “Mr. Speaker, we are obligated to protect our nation. The Heroes Act represents the response America needs to meet this crisis. So, I urge all Members to support this critical legislation.” Waters states. “We hear Members on both sides of the aisle talking about how much they love America, how much they love their constituents. Put up or shut up. Now is the time to do it.” Fortunately, on May 16, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the HEROES Act by a vote of 208-199.

SUMMARY OF THE HEROES ACT

The Act provides $3 trillion in federal relief that will be allocated to various sectors. From the $3 trillion package, nearly $1 trillion is allocated to state, local, territorial, and

tribunal governments who need the funds to pay vital workforces such as first responders, health workers, and tutors who face the risk of losing their jobs.

The remaining nearly $2 trillion is shared amongst other sectors including payment of essential personnel who have risked their lives to in the fight against Covid-19, testing, tracing and treatment of Covid-19, a second round of direct payments to households, preservation of health coverage for those who have lost jobs, and extension of unemployment benefits. The Act also provides for food security and safeguarding of American democracy.

Elsewhere, the House of

Representatives passed a resolution (H.Res. 965) authorizing proxy voting and remote Committee operations. The resolution will enable the House members to continue conducting House business while away from Washington during this period, faced with Covid-19pandemic.

Works cited

https://financialservices.house.gov/news/ documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=406566#:~:text =Waters%20Urges%20Congress%20to%20Pass%20 Heroes%20Act%3A%20It’s%20Time%20to,Put%20up%20 or%20Shut%20up%E2%80%9D&text=6800%2C%20 the%20Heroes%20Act https://www.natlawreview.com/article/congress-passesheroes-act-remote-voting-resolution https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/democrats. appropriations.house.gov/files/documents/Heroes%20 Act%20One%20Pager.pdf