IFPTE Urges YES Vote on Latest Version of the HEROES Act

Dear Representative:

As the executive officers of the International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers (IFPTE), we are writing regarding today’s updated introduction of the $2.2 trillion HEROES Act. While IFPTE continues to prefer the more robust, original HEROES Act, we nonetheless applaud Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, and the committee chairs for introducing this updated bill. IFPTE is hopeful that this good-faith attempt to come to an agreement with the White House and Senate Majority Leader McConnell to pass another pandemic relief package will prove successful as working families by the millions are in dire need of this assistance.

IFPTE is pleased with the inclusion of the following worker-friendly provisions in the latest bill:

  • Direct aid to States and Localities – $436B of funding for our State and Local governments who are dealing with extreme budget shortfalls as a result of the pandemic. While this funding is intended to stabilize these budgets for just one year, it is a good step in the right direction to help preserve public sector jobs while maintaining critically important services to taxpayers, particularly those directly impacted by the COVID pandemic;

  • Direct cash support for working families – In the form of $1,200 for individuals and $500 for dependents;

  • ACA coverage for unemployed workers – Unemployed workers losing their health insurance will automatically be eligible for coverage, to include the full subsidy under the Affordable Care Act;

  • Unemployment payments – Restores the $600 per week federal unemployment benefit through January for the tens of millions of unemployed Americans;

  • Food Assistance – Helps families put food on the table by increasing the maximum Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit by 15%;

  • Housing Assistance – Provides tens of billions of dollars in rent, mortgage, utility and other housing related assistance to families on the brink of homelessness;

  • Worker Safety – Requires OSHA to mandate that employers create and enact workplace infection control safeguards consistent with CDC guidance; and,

  • Support for Airline Workers – Extends the Payroll Support Program for workers in the airline industry, which is a critical part of our national transportation infrastructure.

IFPTE continues to believe that much more needs to be done. However, given that the White House and Senate Majority Leader McConnell have inexplicably continued to block the original HEROES Act, we think that this latest, scaled down version will provide much needed, immediate relief to working families. When this package is considered by the full House this week, IFPTE urges you to vote yes.

Sincerely,

Paul Shearon,
IFPTE President

Matthew Biggs
Secretary-Treasurer/Legislative Director

IFPTEHeroes Act, COVID-19