Democrats reintroduce Heroes Act 2.0 COVID-19 relief package

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• House Democrats on Monday proposed the revised Heroes Act, an updated COVID-19 relief package, worth $2.2 trillion, which is over $1 trillion less than the bill originally proposed.
• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and White House negotiator Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had an initial talk last weekend and will discuss again on Tuesday in an attempt to reach an agreement.
• Pelosi said that the budget for each program remains the same but they cut the time coverage of the package.

On Monday, House Democrats introduced a downsized COVID-19 relief package amounting to $2.2 trillion, making an eleventh-hour move to push President Donald Trump’s negotiating team to reach consensus weeks ahead before the November election.

Now $1.2 trillion lower than the previous bill unveiled by the Democrats, the revised Heroes Act includes the following packages:

• $436 billion emergency aid for state and local governments;
• $225 billion for schools and child care;
• a second wave of $1,200 stimulus checks for most Americans;
• $600 expanded unemployment payments until January;
• $75 billion for mass testing, contact tracing, and other health care efforts;
• billions for housing assistance;
• and funding for the census, US Postal Service, and elections.

Moreover, this updated Heroes Act includes an important detail supported by Trump and his allies: a $25 billion provision to aid massive layoffs at airlines and $3 billion for airline contractors.

A $120 billion assistance will also be allotted to restaurant establishments.

The new package was presented a few moments before House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) spoke via phone call with White House negotiator Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. A White House aide said that the two parties would discuss again on Tuesday.

Issuing a letter to colleagues on Monday, Pelosi did not stipulate whether the Congress would put a vote on the updated Heroes Act, although Democratic officials said that they are expecting a vote on the bill either Wednesday or Thursday.

“This evening, Democrats are unveiling an updated Heroes Act that serves as our proffer to Republicans to come to negotiations to address the health and economic catastrophe in our country,” Pelosi wrote in her letter.

The speaker said that Democrats slashed down the package costs by minimizing the scope of its timelines instead of reducing the allocated budget for each of the programs. 

“Democrats are making good on our promise to compromise with this updated bill, which is necessary to address the immediate health and economic crisis facing America’s working families right now,” she said. “We have been able to make critical additions and reduce the cost of the bill by shortening the time covered for now.”

During her interview with MSNBC earlier, Pelosi said that she and Mnuchin spoke last weekend. She said that the White House should compromise as Democrats already cut down the package by over $1 trillion.

“I think we can find our common ground … but he has to come back with much more money to get the job done… So, I’m hopeful. I’m optimistic,” Pelosi told MSNBC anchor Andrea Mitchell.

Source: The Hill