Key Funding Components of HEROES Act for Pennsylvania
The Coronavirus has wreaked unprecedented havoc on the lives of the American people. Our economy, our schools, our jobs and our way of life have been disrupted. To survive and recover from this pandemic, safely reopen our schools and allow people to safely return to work to restore our economy, we have to maintain critical state and local services, such as law enforcement, education and healthcare.
We need Pennsylvania Senators to support critical pieces of the House-passed HEROES Act in the next COVID 19 relief bill:
- At least $100 billion for public K-12 education and public colleges and universities to safely reopen and account for the unanticipated, increased costs of operating schools in a COVID-19 environment. Reopening schools and colleges and keeping students and staff safe will take more not fewer resources, especially as students will return to school with significant and academic, social and emotional needs. Pennsylvania would receive $3.2 billion in education funding if the Senate passed the HEROES Act. The K-12 portion of these funds would provide Pennsylvania $2 billion. That’s enough to save or restore the positions of 9,570 teachers, 2,447 teacher aides and 7,035 other workers.
- $500 billion for state and $350 billion for local aid that funds the services that retain our EMTs, public safety officers, teachers and school workers, sanitation workers, homecare providers, and other frontline public service workers who are essential to fighting this pandemic and reopening our economy. They have been there for us, and they are a critical part of our recovery, as well as keeping our communities safe and livable. Pennsylvania would receive $19.2 billion in direct aid to states and $18.7 in direct aid to local governments if the Senate passed the HEROES Act.
- $175 billion for the health and safety of our frontline providers and the American people. We need widespread testing, contact tracing, adequate PPE supplies, relief for impacted families, and expansion of Medicaid to ensure that vulnerable populations are treated to stop the spread of the virus. Pennsylvania would receive $5.6 billion in Medicaid funding through the HEROES Act.
Our states, cities, towns and public schools continue to anchor America’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic by keeping communities safe, limiting the spread of the virus and supporting our children. The Senate must act now to fund these essential services that are at the heart of our recovery and being able to reopen our economy. 84 percent of Americans support increased federal aid to protect healthcare, education, safety and other services and keep the frontline workers on the job.