Legislative Update and Action Alert: Congressional Response to COVID-19 Enters Phase 4 Dashboard Dashboard

The country needs new relief legislation, but it remains stalled in the Senate.

As COVID-19 continues to take a devastating toll on the country, the US Senate is dragging its feet on another needed stimulus bill. The Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act passed in the House on May 15 by a vote of 208 to 199, but Senate Republicans have refused to take up the bill.

This next phase of COVID-19 relief is a $3 trillion plan that prioritizes hazard pay for essential workers and substantial aid to state and local governments. The bill includes critical help for union pension plans, something the Guild has advocated for, as covered in the April 17 issue of Connect. It also includes spending for increased broadband connectivity, another round of stimulus checks, and extended unemployment payments.

As we fight in negotiations for more funding for the Guild’s pension plan, current market volatility has the potential to harm the entire multiemployer pension system, absent effective federal intervention. In conjunction with increased contributions from our employers, the HEROES Act includes a critical provision that could give our plan additional time to make up for losses it may sustain over the next several months. This is similar to action the federal government took in the wake of the Great Recession. While the Guild has been calling for this language in the prior COVID-19 response bills, its inclusion in the HEROES Act is an important step to assist multi-employer pension plans.

We are also heartened by the inclusion of provisions that expand broadband access. At a time when internet connectivity is essential for work, school, and to watch the content our members create, the digital divide has become even more apparent. The Guild has long advocated for better and more affordable broadband, and this crisis is amplifying what we’ve known for a long time: connection to the Internet is a necessity, not a luxury. The HEROES Act provides a $50 benefit for those who have been laid off or furloughed to put toward the monthly cost of internet service, prohibits broadband and phone providers from cutting off service because of an inability to pay, and authorizes subsidized broadband service for rural healthcare providers. The HEROES Act builds on prior COVID-19 stimulus efforts with similar stop-gap measures that could help Guild members facing unemployment and underemployment. The bill includes another $1,200 stimulus payment with income caps, and an added $1,200 per child, up to three children. It also extends the extra $600 per week in federal unemployment compensation through January 31, 2021, as opposed to July 31, 2020, when it’s currently set to expire.

We are still in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, with record unemployment levels and social upheaval. Let your senator know that we can’t wait any longer for relief. Take action today.

For more information about how federal relief legislation may affect you, check out our COVID-19 resources page.