3/18 UPDATE: The Families First Coronavirus Response Act passed the Senate by a vote of 90-8. It will now head to the President's desk to be signed into law.
On Saturday, the House overwhelmingly passed legislation that would provide financial assistance to people impacting by the coronavirus pandemic, in an effort to mitigate its economic impact. The bill, which passed 363-40, includes provisions that would strengthen unemployment insurance, allow workers to take paid sick and family leave, and guarantee that diagnostic testing kits for the coronavirus are free and available to all Americans. Then on Monday evening, the House passed the bill for a second time in as many days, after making a number of technical corrections.
More specifically, H.R. 6201, or the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, provides some workers two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave. It also limits the paid family medical leave to at-least two-thirds of your current pay. It’s important to note that the family paid leave provision only guarantees 12 weeks of pay for families caring for small children.
Further, the proposal includes about $1 billion for food programs aimed at helping those who may struggle to get access to meals during the pandemic. These programs include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, food banks, and the 22 million children who receive free or reduced-price lunch at school.
H.R. 6201 is still awaiting action in the Senate, which may include provisions that would add additional economic stimulus aimed at bolstering small businesses around the nation. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced that the Senate will not adjourn until a concrete proposal is passed.
Aside from congressional action, the Administration has taken numerous steps in an effort to mitigate the pandemics economic and health impact. Most notably, President Trump has declared a national emergency, which gives the government additional flexibility to deploy resources and waive certain laws and regulations. Additional proposals are emerging and evolving on a daily, if not hourly basis. Please continue to check the CTE Policy Watch Blog for updates on this and other proposals. For an exhaustive list of what the federal government is currently doing, please click here.
For additional information regarding the coronavirus and how to stay safe during this unprecedented time, please visit the CDC’s website.
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