As the coronavirus crisis threatens the lives and livelihoods of Nevadans, we must work every day to support the health care workers who are saving lives and the families, workers and small-business operators who make our economy work.
Last week, Congress passed our third bipartisan response to this crisis — $2.2 trillion for hospitals, health care systems, workers, small businesses, students, and state and local leaders who are on the front lines.
It builds on bills already signed into law to boost prevention, preparedness and families.
In the second coronavirus package, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, I pressed for millions of dollars in expanded unemployment insurance for Nevada. Now, this third piece of legislation will increase the maximum unemployment benefit by $600 per week and ensure that laid-off workers, on average, will receive their full pay for four months. It also guarantees that all workers are protected whether they work for businesses small, medium or large, along with self-employed and workers in the gig economy.
Most Nevadans also will receive immediate direct cash payments in the next few weeks. All individuals earning less than $75,000 and households earning less than $150,000 will get $1,200 for each adult and $500 for each child. Payments will get smaller after that until they phase out entirely for higher income earners. To help make sure you get your payment as soon as possible, I am urging the president to allow the IRS to deposit the money directly into Nevadans’ bank accounts instead of delaying it with paper checks.
We also provided $850 million in funding nationwide for the Emergency Food Assistance Program to ensure that all families have access to the food they need through local food banks, such as Three Square in Las Vegas. Households with students who receive free and reduced-price school lunches are now also eligible for additional Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits so that no children go without the nutrition they need to thrive.
The CARES Act also helps to keep our health care workers on the front lines of this crisis safe and well-equipped. The bill included $200 billion for hospitals, health care workers and research, including ventilators, N95 masks, gowns, gloves and more personal protective equipment desperately needed by health care workers.
We secured $1.25 billion for Nevada state and local governments who are at the forefront of the pandemic, $163 million for Nevada transit systems that have been hit hard, and $13.5 million for Nevada to address homelessness.
Nationwide, we secured $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses, so they can pay their employees and keep them on the payroll, $17 billion for debt relief for current and new SBA borrowers, and $10 billion in immediate disaster grants. My office is here to help Nevada’s businesses secure that relief.
For Nevada students, we secured billions in emergency education funding and eliminated income tax on student loan repayment assistance by an employer.
For accountability and oversight, we prevented secret bailouts and added special oversight requirements, including: banning stock buybacks for any company receiving a government loan from the bill for the term of the government assistance plus one year; and establishing robust worker protections attached to all federal loans for businesses.
These are just some of the support measures you may be eligible for under this emergency package. If you need assistance applying for relief, my office is here to help. Please reach out to us at horsford.house.gov. Because so many of our neighbors are in need right now, it may take our team longer than normal to get back to you. We appreciate your patience and promise to do everything we can to assist.
Meanwhile, let me say thank you to Nevada’s health care workers who are risking your lives to care for others. Thank you to grocery store clerks, garbage truck drivers, postal workers and all essential workers for keeping our state going. Thank you to families who are sacrificing, following social distancing guidelines and showing kindness to your neighbors. Thank you to small-business owners who are doing everything you can to keep going for the workers and communities who depend on you.
You are the heroes in this story. And it is because of you that I know we will get through this together.
Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., was re-elected in 2018 to the state’s 4th Congressional District seat, which he had held from 2013 to 2015.