With things relatively quiet in Madison, things in Washington DC have been busy. Here’s the first in a series of updates on the most noteworthy developments.
Congress Appears to be Moving Toward Approving a Another Emergency Supplemental Bill with Relief for State and Local Governments and Schools
With states and local governments facing mounting revenue losses, the U.S. House of Representatives, on May 15, passed a fourth emergency supplemental appropriations bill. The 1,854 page, Democrat-backed bill, officially known as H.R.6800, would provide $3 trillion to help states, communities, and individuals. Dubbed the HEROES (Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions) Act, the bill would provide the following funding:
- $1 trillion to state, local, territorial, and tribal governments.
- $90 billion for a State Fiscal Stabilization Fund for grants to States to support statewide and local funding for elementary and secondary schools and public postsecondary institutions. Approximately $58 billion of the total would be provided to K-12 education.
- $1.5 billion in funding for the E-rate Program for schools and libraries to provide internet service to students and teachers, prioritizing those without internet access at home.
- $3 billion for school meal providers and USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program.
- The bill would also double the deduction for certain unreimbursed out-of-pocket expenses for elementary and secondary school teachers from $250 to $500. This amount would be adjusted for inflation in future years.
Wisconsin’s House delegation split along party lines, with all Democrats voting in favor and all Republicans voting no.
Initial response to the House bill in the U.S. Senate was also split along party lines. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell was blunt, saying the Republican-controlled Senate would not consider the HEROES Act. McConnell and other key Senate Republicans also said they would not develop other emergency response legislation until the CARES Act has had more time to work.
More recently, Sen. McConnell has softened his stance. Yesterday, he told reporters in his home state of Kentucky that Congress will “probably” have to pass another coronavirus relief bill and will decide whether to do so in the coming weeks. McConnell suggests he could support limited relief for state and local governments but wants liability protections for doctors and businesses in the bill and wants any additional relief for state and local governments to be narrowly tailored to increased expenses and revenue losses due to the public health emergency.
With the Senate on recess – and the House planning a light schedule — this week due to the Memorial Day holiday, significant work is not expected to begin again until June. A window is open for school leaders who want to communicate with our state’s two U.S. Senators.
