Adams Votes in Favor of the HEROES Act
May 15, 2020
"It’s a lot easier to keep an economy moving than trying to bring it back from a screeching halt."
Washington– Today, Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12) released the following statement on her vote in favor of the HEROES Act, which passed the House of Representatives:
"Yesterday, we discovered that another 56,000 North Carolinians filed for unemployment last week, while 20 lost their lives," said Congresswoman Adams. "Unfortunately, the public health and economic catastrophes caused by COVID-19 are not over. Our families, our small businesses, our essential employees, our front line workers, and our HEROES need relief NOW."
"I'm proud that the HEROES Act contains bills I've written and ideas I've worked hard to support: emergency funding to keep our most vulnerable students fed and healthy; essential health and safety protections and pay increases for our workers who supply our food and serve our seniors; desperately needed funding for housing and our states; and critical student loan debt relief!"
"The bill isn't perfect: we need broader student debt cancellation to help grow our economy out of this crisis. However, I was proud to vote yes today for one simple reason: it's a lot easier to keep an economy moving than trying to bring it back from a screeching halt."
ABOUT THE HEROES ACT
In addition to resources for our state, local, tribal and territorial governments, the HEROES (Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions) Act provides transformative, far-reaching support to protect the lives and livelihoods of the American people and the life of our democracy.
Rep. Adams previously authored, advocated for, or supported many provisions in the HEROES Act, including student loan debt relief, increased funding for SNAP, $1.7 Billion in additional funding for HBCUs, funding for broadband and technology access, support for meals for students, strong financial assistance for the USPS, workplace safety, and more.
Additionally, there is almost $3 Billion in support for the State of North Carolina.
An overview of the HEROES Act is below:
- Provides strong support for our heroes by establishing a $200 billion Heroes' fund to ensure that essential workers across the country receive hazard pay.
- Commits another $75 billion for the testing, tracing and treatment we need in order to have a science-based path to safely reopen our country and helping ensure that every American can access free coronavirus treatment.
- Puts money in the pockets of workers with a second round of direct payments to families up to $6,000 per household, new payroll protection measures to keep 60 million workers connected with their jobs and extending weekly $600 federal unemployment payments through next January.
- Supports small businesses by strengthening the Payroll Protection Program to ensure that it reaches underserved communities, nonprofits of all sizes and types and responds flexibly to small businesses by providing $10 billion for COVID-19 emergency grants through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.
- Ensures further support for North Carolinians and all Americans, including for:
- Health security – with COBRA subsidies and a special enrollment period in the ACA exchanges for those without insurance.
- Workplace security – requiring OSHA to ensure that all workplaces develop science-based infection control plans and preventing employers from retaliating against workers who report problems.
- Housing security – with $175 billion in new supports to assist renters and homeowners make monthly rent, mortgage and utility payments and other housing-related costs.
- Food security – with a 15 percent increase to the maximum SNAP benefit and additional funding for nutrition programs that help families put food on the table.
- Protects the life of our democracy with new resources to ensure safe elections, an accurate Census, and preserve the Postal Service.
Congresswoman Alma Adams represents North Carolina's 12th Congressional District (Charlotte) and serves as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Agriculture. Additionally, she serves on the House Financial Services Committee and the House Education & Labor Committee, where she serves as Chair of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee.
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