House Passes HEROES Act, Comprehensive COVID-19 Relief Bill

On Friday evening, the House of Representatives passed their latest COVID-19 response bill, the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act (HEROES Act).

This bill is considered the opening bid, placed by the Democrat-controlled House, on a new comprehensive emergency response package. It is by far the largest to date, with an estimated cost of $3 trillion.

The HEROES Act builds upon several of the programs and approaches established through the CARES Act including additional funding for the health care sector and certain business industries, help for small business and non-profit organizations, economic impact payments to every eligible household and additional funding for childcare and nutrition programs.

The HEROES Act provides an additional $100.15 billion in direct emergency funding for the U.S. Department of Education to distribute to states in support of K-16 education. Within that pot of funding is $10.15 billion to help alleviate burdens associated with the coronavirus for both colleges and students and $90 billion for grants to States to support statewide and local funding for public elementary and secondary schools.

Funds would be made available through a formula that combines the state population of 5-to-24-year-olds (61%) with the Title I formula (39%). 65 percent of funds would go to local education agencies using the Title I formula and 30 percent to institutions of higher education, using Pell grant recipient eligibility as a key factor.

There is considerable flexibility for how the funds can be used, including to cover costs associated with making up instructional time, including

• Teacher, school leader, and classified school employee personnel costs
• Providing school-based supports for impacted students, families and staff, including counseling, mental health services, and family engagement
• Professional development for school-based staff on trauma-informed care
• The purchase of educational technology, including assistive technology, that aids in regular and substantive interactions between students and their classroom instructor
• Training and professional development for college and university faculty and staff to use technology and services related to distance education
• And more.

The bill also directly addresses state, local, Tribes, and U.S. Territory budget shortfalls with a $915 billion infusion of funds, which could also be used to support state and local education budgets.

With House approval of the HEROES Act, the focus has now pivoted to the Senate, where Republican leadership has expressed apprehension about quickly passing another major stimulus bill. The development of a Senate package and negotiations with the House and White House are expected to be ongoing in the coming weeks.

To view the bill, go here.