A version of the bill passed the Senate on 3/25/2020, passed the House. You can read more here.)
Last week, the Senate introduced what was described as “a massive bill” intended to provide direct economic relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. That bill didn’t move forward over the weekend. The House responded with “hold my beer.” The Senate version of the bill was 247 pages long. But the House Democrats’ version? It’s 1,404 pages long. Not a typo. 1,404 pages long.
The House version has been dubbed the “Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act.” You can read it here (downloads as a PDF). But since you probably won’t – and neither will many members of Congress – follows are some of the highlights (settle in):
Spending. The first two hundred pages (or so) provide funding for various government agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration and the Bureau of Prisons, for coronavirus programs. In addition to paying the Architect of the Capitol and salaries for Senate Employee Child Care Center, the bill would provide additional funding for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) “to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.”
Paid Family Leave. The bill amends (and expands) the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The bill would apply to private and public sector employees, no matter the size of the employer. Employees who have been on the job for at least 30 calendar days would be entitled to take up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave to respond to the coronavirus. This would include self-quarantines and care for family members. Specifically, employees would be entitled to two full weeks of unpaid leave, and then receive a reduced benefit. Costs to employers would be offset by tax credits.
Paid Sick Leave. The bill would also provide relief for sick employees, again, regardless of the size of the employer. Specifically, eligible full-time employees would be entitled to two weeks of emergency paid sick leave to take care of themselves or family members.
Read and see the video at: BIG Bucks
