[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 6, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2291-S2293]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTION
By Mr. REED:
S. 3619. A bill to amend title II of division A of the CARES Act to
modify certain provisions related to unemployment compensation, and for
other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.
Mr. REED. Mr. President, today, I am introducing the Strengthening UI
for Coronavirus Impacted Workers and Students Act. For the 30 million
American unemployed workers, the enhanced jobless benefits created in
the CARES Act are a lifeline. However, the Federal Pandemic
Unemployment Compensation, which provides a $600-per-week benefit on
top of an individual's regular unemployment insurance (UI) benefits are
set to expire on July 31, 2020. Arbitrarily cutting these benefits off
in the midst of an ongoing pandemic could make a desperate situation
worse for individuals and harm the economy. Moreover, if these workers
are prematurely pushed back into unsafe work environments, it will
ultimately harm families, businesses, and communities.
That is why my new legislation seeks to expand and enhance the
unemployment insurance of the CARES Act. Specifically, this bill would
continue to offer out-of-work Americans the $600-per-week additional
benefit through the end of the year and make it retroactive to the date
of the coronavirus pandemic disaster declaration date. This legislation
would also exempt these pandemic-specific benefits from being factored
into eligibility for means-tested programs, such as Section 8 housing,
SNAP, TANF, and WIC. Furthermore, it would create a $300 Federal
benefit for recent college graduates, students, and others who are
willing and able to work absent COVID-19. but who do not have recent
work history. Finally, this legislation would codify guidance by the
Department of Labor requiring employees who are participating in ``work
sharing'' programs to be able to receive the $600-per-work boost. I
added provisions to the CARES Act to Federally finance these cost-
effective and job saving ``work sharing'' programs, which give
struggling companies the flexibility to reduce hours instead of laying
off their workforce, while allowing the employees to collect
unemployment insurance on the days they are not working.
The bill is supported by numerous organizations including the
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations
(AFL-CIO), International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), National
Education Association (NEA), National Employment Law Project (NELP),
National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), The Arc, United Auto
Workers (UAW), National Alliance on Mental Illness. National
Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, National
Disability Rights Network, and National Women's Law Center.
We have to be smart and this targeted, temporary measure will help
ensure Americans who are out of work through no fault of their own can
afford food, housing, and medicine until it is safe to go back to work.
I am pleased to join my colleague in the other body, Representative
Kildee, in sponsoring this legislation, and I look forward to working
with my colleagues here and across the Capitol to secure passage of
this important legislation.
______
By Mr. REED (for himself, Mr. Brown, Mr. Tester, Mr. Schatz, Mr.
Jones, Ms. Smith, Ms. Warren, Ms. Sinema, Mr. Warner, Mr.
Menendez, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Kaine, Mr.
Udall, Mr. Booker, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Merkley, and
Mr. Wyden):
S. 3620. A bill to establish a Housing Assistance Fund at the
Department of the Treasury; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and
Urban Affairs.
Mr. REED. Mr. President, along with Senators Brown, Tester, Schatz,
Jones, Smith, Warren, Sinema, Warner, Menendez, Van Hollen, Cortez
Masto, Kaine, Udall, Booker, Feinstein, Durbin, Merkley, and Wyden, I
am introducing legislation that would create a $75 billion Housing
Assistance Fund that builds on the success of the Hardest Hit Fund at
the Treasury Department that I championed in 2010.
The Hardest Hit Fund provided funds to 18 State-level Housing Finance
Agencies, directing targeted foreclosure prevention assistance to
households and neighborhoods in States like Rhode Island hit hard by
the economic and housing market downturn.
The Housing Assistance Fund expands this model to provide a flexible
source Federal aid to all State-level Housing Finance Agencies. This
Federal funding could then be used to help struggling households remain
in their homes while they search for new employment or wait to get back
to work. Financial assistance could go towards preventing eviction,
mortgage delinquency, default, foreclosures, or loss of utility
services, such as water, gas, and
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electricity. Funds could also be used to keep the Internet connected
and remain current with property taxes.
In the midst of responding to the coronavirus, we clearly need to do
everything we can to help our constituents. According to CNBC, 8.7
million jobs were lost in the Great Recession, and as of April 23,
2020, more than 26 million Americans filed unemployment insurance
claims in just five weeks. Just for comparative purposes, CNBC also
reported that 22.4 million jobs were created since the Great Recession.
This means we're facing job losses at an unprecedented scale and
pace.
What this also means is that we could be facing a potential wave of
evictions and foreclosures, so there is no time to waste. We should
respond accordingly so that more families can make it to the other side
of this public health emergency while staying safe in their homes. This
is precisely the goal of this Housing Assistance Fund legislation we
are introducing today.
I thank the National Council of State Housing Agencies; Habitat for
Humanity; National Housing Conference; National Community Reinvestment
Coalition; National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders; National
Leased Housing Association; Americans for Financial Reform; National
Consumer Law Center, on behalf of its low-income clients; Center for
Responsible Lending; Rhode Island Housing; and the Rhode Island
Association of Realtors for their support.
I urge all of my colleagues to join in pressing for inclusion of the
Housing Assistance Fund in our continued response to the coronavirus
pandemic.
______
By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms.
Stabenow, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Jones, Ms. Klobuchar, Ms. Hirono,
Mrs. Gillibrand, Ms. Smith, Mr. Sanders, Ms. Harris, and Ms.
Baldwin):
S. 3634. A bill to address health workforce shortages and disparities
highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic through additional funding for the
National Health Service Corps and Nurse Corps; to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 3634
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Health Heroes 2020 Act''.
SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM OF THE
NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS.
(a) Additional Funding.--Section 10503(b) of the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 254b-2(b)) is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)(F), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (2)(H), by striking the period and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) to be transferred to the Secretary of Health and
Human Services--
``(A) $25,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2020, to provide
additional funding to carry out subsection (i) of section
338A of the Public Health Service Act and the National Health
Service Corps Loan Program under section 338B of such Act, of
which--
``(i) $15,000,000,000 shall be allocated to the program
under section 338A; and
``(ii) $10,000,000,000 shall be allocated to the program
under such section 338B; and
``(B) $690,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through
2026, to provide additional amounts to carry out the National
Health Service Corps Scholarship Program under section 338A
of the Public Health Service Act, the National Health Service
Corps Loan Repayment Program under section 338B of such Act,
and the reserve service program under section 338O of such
Act.''.
(b) Criteria for Use of Additional Funding for In-demand
Professionals.--Section 338A of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 254l) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(i) Not less than 40 percent of the amounts made
available to carry out this section under 10503(b)(3)(A)(i)
of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act shall be
allocated to scholarships under this section for eligible
applicants who are members of groups that are historically
underrepresented in health care professions, including racial
and ethnic minorities and individuals from low-income urban
and rural communities. To carry out the requirements of this
subsection, the Secretary may coordinate with entities
receiving funding under section 739 to identify, recruit, and
select individuals to receive such scholarships.''.
(c) National Health Service Corps Reserve Demonstration
Project.--
(1) In general.--Subpart III of part D of title III of the
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l et seq.) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 338O. NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS RESERVE SERVICE
DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.
``(a) In General.--From the amounts made available under
section 10503(b)(3)(B) of the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act for each of fiscal years 2021 through
2024, the Secretary shall, to the extent permitted by, and
consistent with, the requirements of applicable State law,
use such sums as the Secretary determines necessary to
establish, as a demonstration project, a National Health
Service Corps Reserve Service (referred to in this section as
the `reserve service') under which a qualified individual
agrees to engage in service for a period specified in a
contract under this section in such reserve service under
this section.
``(b) Reserve Service Requirements.--An individual whose
obligated service under a contract under section 338A is
provided, pursuant to a contract under subsection (a), as
reserve service, and any other participating individual
described in subparagraph (B) of subsection (c)(2) may
practice a health profession in any private capacity, subject
to the following requirements:
``(1) In the event of a public health emergency declared
under section 319, a major disaster declared by the President
under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief
and Emergency Assistance Act, or an emergency declared by the
President under section 501 of the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act or a national
emergency declared by the President under the National
Emergencies Act, for the duration of such emergency or
disaster, such individual shall be subject to serve in such
capacity as the Secretary shall determine appropriate to
carry out the purposes of this section, and in accordance
with the Secretary's plan to increase surge capacity in
response to public health emergencies or disasters. Such
service may be furnished in coordination with the Corps
described in section 204, a State, territorial, or local
public health department, or through the process described in
section 319(e).
``(2) Not less frequently than 2 days each month, and for a
total of not fewer than 30 days each year, as directed by the
Secretary, such individual shall--
``(A) conduct trainings on public health preparedness and
response activities, which may be in coordination with the
State, territorial, or local health department; or
``(B) furnish health care services to low-income
individuals in a health professional shortage area (as
defined under section 332(a)), a medically underserved
population (as defined under section 330(b)(3)), or a
medically underserved area or area at high risk of a public
health emergency as designated by the Secretary.
``(c) Qualified Individuals.--An individual may be eligible
to participate in the reserve service under this section if
such individual meets one of the following criteria:
``(1) An individual participating in the Scholarship
Program under section 338A may satisfy the obligated service
requirement under such program if the individual's contract
provides for such service.
``(2) An individual who participated in the Loan Repayment
Program under section 338B and who satisfied the obligated
service requirements under such program, in accordance with
the individual's contract.
``(3) An individual who--
``(A) did not participate in the Scholarship Program under
section 338A or the Loan Repayment Program under section
338B;
``(B) has a graduate degree in medicine, osteopathic
medicine, dentistry, or another health profession, or an
appropriate graduate degree from a program of behavioral or
mental health, or is certified as a nurse midwife, nurse
practitioner, or physician assistant;
``(C) holds a license issued by a State, the District of
Columbia, or a territory to practice the applicable
profession;
``(D) is otherwise qualified to practice, and has
experience practicing, in a profession--
``(i) described in section 338B(a)(1); or
``(ii) another high-demand health care field or specialty
that the Secretary identifies, through a process conducted
every 3 years, as a field or specialty of national priority,
based on relative workforce shortages, expected workforce
changes, or projected changes in patient needs; and
``(E) satisfies any other eligibility or application
requirements specified by the Secretary in order to
demonstrate the individual's qualifications.
``(d) Reserve Service Plan.--In carrying out this section,
the Secretary shall establish, in coordination with the
Surgeon General and State, tribal, and local health
departments, an action plan for the service commitments,
priority areas, coordination efforts, training requirements,
and such other considerations as the Secretary determines
appropriate, to ensure the complementary, additive capacity
of such individuals providing reserve service.
``(e) Contracts for Certain Participating Individuals.--An
individual described in subparagraph (B) of subsection (c)(2)
who is participating in the reserve service program under
this section shall receive loan repayments in an amount equal
to 50 percent of the amount of payments that would be
required with respect to a participant of the
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same clinical profession in the Loan Repayment Program
pursuant to a contract entered into at the same time under
section 338B(g), in a manner similar to the manner in which
payments are made under such section, pursuant to the terms
of a contract between the Secretary and such individual. The
Secretary shall establish a system of contracting for
purposes of this subsection which shall be similar to the
contract requirements and terms under subsections (c), (d),
and (f) of section 338B.
``(f) Report.--Not later than 5 years after the date of
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the
Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House
of Representatives a report that evaluates the demonstration
project established under this section, including--
``(1) the effects of such program on health care access,
public health emergency response capacity, and the provider
workforce pipeline; and
``(2) any other considerations as the Secretary determines
appropriate.''.
(2) Conforming amendments.--
(A) Scholarship program.--Section 338A of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l) is amended--
(i) in subsection (b)(2), by inserting ``, or be eligible
for, or hold, an appointment in the reserve service under
section 338O'' before the semicolon;
(ii) in subsection (c)(2)(B), by inserting ``or through
reserve service under an agreement under section 338O'' after
``section 338D''; and
(iii) in the flush text of subsection (f)(1)(B)(v), by
inserting ``, including service under the reserve service in
accordance with section 338O, as applicable'' before the
semicolon at the end.
(B) Obligated service.--Section 338C of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254m) is amended--
(i) in subsection (a), by inserting ``or 338O'' after
``section 338D''; and
(ii) in subsection (c)--
(I) in paragraph (1), by striking ``, or'' and inserting a
semicolon;
(II) in paragraph (2), by striking ``agreement,'' and
inserting ``agreement; or''; and
(III) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
``(3) in the case of an individual who enters into an
agreement with the Secretary under section 338O, on the date
specified in such agreement,''.
SEC. 3. FUNDING FOR THE NURSE CORPS SCHOLARSHIP AND LOAN
REPAYMENT PROGRAM.
(a) Funding.--There are hereby appropriated, out of amounts
in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $5,000,000,000
for fiscal year 2020, for purposes of carrying out section
846 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 297n), to
remain available until expended, except that--
(1) of the amount appropriated under this heading and made
available for scholarships, not less than 40 percent shall be
allocated to scholarships for eligible applicants who are
members of groups that are historically underrepresented in
health care professions, including racial and ethnic
minorities and individuals from low-income urban and rural
communities; and
(2) to carry out the requirements of paragraph (1), the
Secretary may coordinate with entities receiving funding
under section 821 to identify, recruit, and select
individuals to receive such scholarships.
(b) Emergency Designation.--
(1) In general.--The amounts provided by this section are
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
4(g) of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C.
933(g)).
(2) Designation in senate.--In the Senate, this section is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
4112(a) of H. Con. Res. 71 (115th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018.
SEC. 4. FLEXIBILITY FOR MEMBERS OF NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE
CORPS DURING EMERGENCY PERIODS.
Section 333 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
254f) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(f) During any public health emergency declared by the
Secretary under section 319, the Secretary may,
notwithstanding any other provision of this section, assign
Corps members, with the voluntary agreement of such Corps
members, to provide such health services at such places, and
for such number of hours, as the Secretary determines
necessary to respond to such emergency, provided that the
total number of hours required are the same as were required
of such members prior to the change of assignment.''.
____________________