Opportunities for Heroes Act of 2020
This bill establishes the Essential Employment Commission and directs the commission to publish a list of types of employment that are essential during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) crisis. The bill provides essential workers with student loan relief of up to $25,000, and an education credit of up to $25,000. These benefits may be applied to an essential worker's spouse or children.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6699 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
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.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
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.
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.
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.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line