The Heroes Act

The Heroes Act This bill responds to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) outbreak and its impact on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses. Among other things, the bill • provides FY2020 emergency supplemental appropriations to federal agencies; • provides payments and other assistance to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments; • provides additional direct payments of up to $1,200 per individual; • expands paid sick days, family and medical leave, unemployment compensation, nutrition and food assistance programs, housing assistance, and payments to farmers; • modifies and expands the Paycheck Protection Program, which provides loans and grants to small businesses and nonprofit organizations; • establishes a fund to award grants for employers to provide pandemic premium pay for essential workers; • expands several tax credits and deductions; • provides funding and establishes requirements for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing; • eliminates cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatments; • extends and expands the moratorium on certain evictions and foreclosures; and • requires employers to develop and implement infectious disease exposure control plans. The bill also modifies or expands a wide range of other programs and policies, including those regarding • Medicare and Medicaid, • health insurance, • broadband service, • medical product supplies, • immigration, • student loans and financial aid, • the federal workforce, • prisons, • veterans benefits, • consumer protection requirements, • the U.S. Postal Service, • federal elections, • aviation and railroad workers, and • pension and retirement plans.