[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6699 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6699

To establish a commission to determine essential employment during the 
COVID-19 crisis period and provide loan repayment and education credit 
 to workers employed in such essential employment during such crisis, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 5, 2020

 Ms. Kuster of New Hampshire (for herself, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Lynch, 
    Mrs. Beatty, Ms. Pingree, Ms. Dean, Miss Rice of New York, Mr. 
Cicilline, Mrs. Demings, Mr. Ryan, Ms. Houlahan, Ms. Lee of California, 
Mr. Kilmer, Ms. Sewell of Alabama, Mr. Pappas, Mr. Welch, Ms. Meng, Mr. 
  Vargas, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Raskin, Mr. Lowenthal, and Ms. Jackson 
Lee) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committees on Financial 
     Services, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish a commission to determine essential employment during the 
COVID-19 crisis period and provide loan repayment and education credit 
 to workers employed in such essential employment during such crisis, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Opportunities for 
Heroes Act of 2020''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act are as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
              TITLE I--COMMISSION ON ESSENTIAL EMPLOYMENT

Sec. 101. Commission established.
                       TITLE II--BORROWER RELIEF

Sec. 201. Student loan relief as a result of essential work during the 
                            COVID-19 crisis period.
Sec. 202. Essential worker credit.
Sec. 203. Notification to borrowers.
Sec. 204. Data to implement.
Sec. 205. Memorandums of understanding.
Sec. 206. Exclusion from gross income.
Sec. 207. Transfer of benefits to survivors of essential workers.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Covered loan.--The term ``covered loan'' means--
                    (A) a loan made, insured, or guaranteed under part 
                B of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1071 et seq.);
                    (B) a loan made under part D of title IV of the 
                Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087a et seq.); 
                and
                    (C) a Federal Perkins Loan made pursuant to part E 
                of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1087aa et seq.).
            (2) COVID-19 crisis period.--The term ``COVID-19 crisis 
        period'' means the period beginning January 27, 2020, and 
        ending December 31, 2020.
            (3) Essential worker.--The term ``essential worker'' means 
        an individual who--
                    (A) was employed in an essential employment area 
                (as published in the list required under section 
                101(b)(1)) for not less than 480 hours in a 120-day 
                consecutive period during the COVID-19 crisis period;
                    (B) was employed in an essential employment area 
                (as published in the list required under section 
                101(b)(1)) but was unable to complete 480 hours of work 
                in a 120-day consecutive period due to the diagnosis or 
                suspected case of COVID-19 with respect to such 
                individual or the family member (a child, spouse, 
                grandparent, or relative that lives in the primary 
                residence of the essential worker) of such individual 
                for which such individual provided care; or
                    (C) was employed in an essential employment area 
                (as published in the list required under section 
                101(b)(1)) but was unable to complete 480 hours of work 
                in a 120-day consecutive period due perishing from 
                COVID-19 or a suspected case of COVID-19.
            (4) Private education loan.--The term ``private education 
        loan'' has the meaning given the term in section 140 of the 
        Truth in Lending Act (15 U.S.C. 1650).
            (5) Qualified borrower.--The term ``qualified borrower'' 
        means--
                    (A) a borrower of a covered loan or a private 
                education loan; and
                    (B) who is an essential worker.
            (6) Secretaries concerned.--The term ``Secretaries 
        concerned'' means--
                    (A) the Secretary of Education, with respect to 
                covered loans and borrowers of such covered loans; and
                    (B) the Secretary of the Treasury, with respect to 
                private education loans and borrowers of such private 
                education loans.
            (7) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' means an institution of 
        higher education, as defined in section 101, or a postsecondary 
        vocational institution, as defined in section 102(c), of the 
        Higher Education Act.
            (8) Workforce development program.--The term ``workforce 
        development program'' means a program of training services, 
        provided through an eligible training provider, as described 
        under section 122(d) of the Workforce Innovation and 
        Opportunity Act.
            (9) Continuing medical education.--The term ``continuing 
        medical education'' means educational activities which serve to 
        maintain, develop, or increase the knowledge, skills, and 
        professional performance and relationships that a physician 
        uses to provide services for patients, the public or the 
        profession. The content of continuing medical education is the 
        body of knowledge and skills generally recognized and accepted 
        by the profession as within the basic medical sciences, the 
        discipline of clinical medicine and the provision of health 
        care to the public.

              TITLE I--COMMISSION ON ESSENTIAL EMPLOYMENT

SEC. 101. COMMISSION ESTABLISHED.

    (a) Establishment.--Not less than 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall establish a 
commission to be known as the ``Essential Employment Commission'' (in 
this Act referred to as the ``Commission'').
    (b) Duty of the Commission.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall, publish a list 
        of the types of employment that are essential during the COVID-
        19 crisis period.
            (2) Considerations.--In determining the types of employment 
        that are essential under paragraph (1), the Commission shall 
        consider whether--
                    (A) the employment protected the health, safety, or 
                well-being of the American public; and
                    (B) the employment involved considerable risk of 
                exposure to COVID-19.
            (3) Certain employment required essential.--The Commission 
        shall determine the following types of employment to be 
        essential under paragraph (1):
                    (A) Employment in the sale of food and 
                pharmaceuticals, including employment by grocery 
                stores, pharmacies, convenience stores, and other 
                businesses that primarily sell food and beverages.
                    (B) Employment in the field of healthcare, 
                including as a home health aid or a pharmacist.
                    (C) Employment as a firefighter or emergency 
                medical technician.
                    (D) Employment as an emergency responders, 
                including a paramedic.
                    (E) Employment at a 911 call center.
                    (F) Employment in health manufacturing for 
                essential medical products, including personal 
                protective equipment, isolation barriers, medical 
                gases, pharmaceuticals, blood and blood products, 
                vaccines, testing materials, laboratory supplies, 
                cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting or sterilization 
                supplies, and tissue and paper towel products.
                    (G) Employment in manufacturing of materials and 
                products necessary to produce the products described in 
                subparagraph (F).
                    (H) Employment in producing, harvesting, or 
                processing agricultural goods, meat, poultry, and dairy 
                products for human consumption.
                    (I) Employment in cafeterias that serve other 
                essential workers, medical patients, students, or 
                vulnerable populations, including the homeless.
                    (J) Employment in postal, parcel, courier, last-
                mile delivery, and shipping.
                    (K) Employment in the distribution or delivery of 
                food, pharmaceuticals, or medical products.
                    (L) Employment in the delivery of pre-cooked food.
                    (M) Employment in the fields of research, 
                development, and testing related to COVID-19.
                    (N) Employment in security and sanitation of 
                locations where other essential workers are employed.
                    (O) Employment in providing child care for children 
                of other essential workers.
                    (P) Employment in transportation, including as a 
                truck driver, bus driver, dispatcher, maintenance and 
                repair technician, warehouse worker, truck stop or rest 
                area worker, towing and recovery service employee, 
                roadside assistance worker, intermodal transportation 
                personnel, maintenance worker, taxi driver, vehicle 
                rental service provider, car-sharing driver, 
                transportation network provider, air traffic 
                controller, maintenance personnel, ramp worker, 
                aviation or aerospace safety worker, pilot or flight 
                crew, operations personnel, or accident investigations 
                personnel.
                    (Q) Employment as a social worker.
                    (R) Employment in mortuary services, including 
                cremation, burial, coffin making, and funeral home 
                services.
                    (S) Employment as a community advocate for 
                survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
                    (T) Employment as a law enforcement or corrections 
                officer.
    (c) Composition.--The Commission shall include the following 
members:
            (1) The Secretary of Health and Human Services (or 
        designee).
            (2) The Secretary of Homeland Security (or designee).
            (3) The Secretary of Education (or designee).
            (4) The governors of the three States with the highest 
        incidences of COVID-19 on the date of enactment of this Act (or 
        a designee for each such governor).
            (5) Three representatives from national labor organizations 
        certified by the National Labor Relations Board, National 
        Mediation Board, Federal Labor Relations Authority, or State 
        agencies with similar jurisdiction and authority.
            (6) A member of the U.S. House of Representatives appointed 
        by the Speaker of the House of Representatives (or designee).
            (7) A member of the Senate appointed by the majority leader 
        of the Senate (or designee).
            (8) A physician.
    (d) Termination.--The Commission shall terminate on the date the 
list required under subsection (b)(1) is published.

                       TITLE II--BORROWER RELIEF

SEC. 201. STUDENT LOAN RELIEF AS A RESULT OF ESSENTIAL WORK DURING THE 
              COVID-19 CRISIS PERIOD.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date the list 
required under section 101(b)(1) is published, the Secretaries 
concerned shall jointly carry out a program under which a qualified 
borrower, with respect to the covered loans and private education of 
loans of such qualified borrower, shall be eligible to receive in 
accordance with subsection (b) an amount equal to the lesser of the 
following:
            (1) The total amount of each covered loan and each private 
        education loan of the borrower and the total amount of each 
        covered loan of the spouse or children of the essential worker.
            (2) $25,000.
    (b) Election by Borrower.--A qualified borrower may elect to apply 
the amount determined with respect to such borrower under subsection 
(a) to--
            (1) any covered loan of the borrower;
            (2) any private education loan of the borrower;
            (3) any covered loan or private education loan of the 
        spouse or child of the borrower; and
            (4) any combination of the loans described in paragraphs 
        (1) through (3).

SEC. 202. ESSENTIAL WORKER CREDIT.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Treasury shall make available 
to each essential worker an amount equal to--
            (1) $25,000; minus
            (2) the amount the essential worker received under section 
        201(a).
    (b) Use of Credit.--The amount an essential worker receives under 
subsection (a) may only be used to attend an institution of higher 
education, a workforce development program, or continuing medical 
education (as defined in section 2) by the essential worker and their 
spouse or children.
    (c) Availability.--The amount available to an essential worker 
under subsection (a) may be used in accordance with subsection (b) not 
later than December 31, 2070.

SEC. 203. NOTIFICATION TO BORROWERS.

    Not later than 30 days after the date described in section 201(a), 
the Secretaries concerned shall notify each qualified borrower and 
essential worker of--
            (1) the requirements to provide loan relief and essential 
        worker credits to essential workers and their children or 
        spouse under this title;
            (2) the opportunity for such a borrower to make an election 
        under section 201(b) with respect to the application of such 
        loan relief to the covered loans and private education loans of 
        such borrower and their children or spouse; and
            (3) the opportunity for such an essential worker and their 
        children or spouse to receive a credit under section 202.

SEC. 204. DATA TO IMPLEMENT.

    (a) Secretary of Education.--Contractors of the Secretary of 
Education and lenders, institutions that are holders of loans made 
under part E, and guaranty agencies holding loans made, insured, or 
guaranteed under part B shall report, to the satisfaction of the 
Secretary of Education, the information necessary to calculate the 
amount to be applied under sections 201 and 202.
    (b) Secretary of Treasury.--Holders and servicers of private 
education loans shall report, to the satisfaction of the Secretary of 
the Treasury, the information necessary to calculate the amount to be 
applied under sections 201 and 202.
    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
the enactment of this Act and every subsequent 5 years until 2070, the 
Secretaries shall jointly submit to Congress a report on the 
implementation of this Act.

SEC. 205. MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING.

    The Secretaries concerned shall enter into a memorandum of 
understanding to carry out this title and to share any information 
necessary to carry out this title.

SEC. 206. EXCLUSION FROM GROSS INCOME.

    (a) In General.--Part III of subchapter B of chapter 1 of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting after section 
139H the following new section:

``SEC. 139I. ESSENTIAL WORKER PAYMENTS DURING COVID-19 CRISIS PERIOD.

    ``Gross income shall not include any payment made on behalf of the 
taxpayer under section 201 and 202 of the Opportunities for Heroes Act 
of 2020.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for part III of 
subchapter B of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 139H the 
following new item:

``Sec. 139I. Student loan payments resulting from the COVID-19 national 
                            emergency.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2019.

SEC. 207. TRANSFER OF BENEFITS TO SURVIVORS OF ESSENTIAL WORKERS.

    The Secretaries of Treasury and Education shall develop a process 
for the spouse and children of essential workers who died due to COVID-
19 to receive benefits under sections 201 and 202.
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