Rep. Cleaver Supports The Heroes Act To Bring Immediate Relief To Missourians and Local Communities

May 15, 2020
Press Release

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted for The Heroes Act, the latest emergency coronavirus relief proposal to address the continued public health crisis and bring desperately needed support for struggling families and essential workers. The bill includes funds for testing and tracing measures, key support for frontline workers, and strengthened financial assistance for the American people.

"As I hear from more and more Missourians and small businesses, one thing is abundantly clear: they need major relief immediately," said Congressman Cleaver. "We're witnessing an economic and public health crisis like I've never seen before, and we need a response that matches the scale of the challenge at hand. The American people and small businesses across the country have done their part to stem the spread of COVID-19. Congress and the Administration cannot fail to do ours by coming to the aid of workers and businesses who are hanging on by a thread."

The Heroes Act brings much-needed support to Missouri and our local communities with robust funding to cover coronavirus-related revenue losses and pay our frontline health care workers as well as police, fire, transportation, EMS, teachers and other vital workers who keep us safe and are in danger of losing their jobs.

An analysis prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) estimates the Heroes Act will provide more than $4.1 billion in state funding for the people of Missouri in 2020 as well as $5.2 billion in 2021, in addition to urgently needed funding for communities in the Fifth District of Missouri. These estimates based on current population levels include:

  • Kansas City – $562,514,052 over two years;
  • Jackson County – $395,356,323 over two years;
  • Clay County – $140,564,688 over two years;
  • Independence – $58,404,034 over two years;
  • Lee's Summit – $26,713,121 over two years;
  • Blue Springs – $19,295,751 over two years;
  • Lafayette County – $18,394,185 over two years;
  • Raytown – $14,313,828 over two years;
  • Marshall – $6,385,509 over two years;
  • Odessa – $2,568,225 over two years;
  • Lexington – $2,239,914 over two years.

The Heroes Act also includes a $90 billion fund to support state and local public education, including $1.6 billion for Missouri communities. This funding will help restore state and local fiscal support for elementary, secondary and public higher education. It can be used to meet a wide range of urgent needs, including summer learning, afterschool programs, distance learning, and emergency financial aid for college students as well as coordination with public health departments to mitigate the spread of coronavirus.

In addition to resources for our state and local governments, the Heroes Act provides transformative, wide-ranging support to protect the lives and livelihoods of Missourians and the American people:

  • Provides strong support for our heroes: Our health care and essential workers have been on the frontlines of this crisis, risking their lives to keep our communities safe and healthy. This bill establishes a $200 billion Heroes fund to ensure that essential workers across the country receive hazard pay for their sacrifices.
  • Puts money in the pockets of American families and workers: One direct payment to Missouri families and a few months of enhanced unemployment insurance for laid off workers simply isn't enough to match the scale of the current economic crisis. The Heroes Act provides a second round of direct payments to families up to $6,000 per household, new payroll protection measures to keep 60 million workers connected with their jobs and extends weekly $600 federal unemployment payments through next January.
  • Supports small businesses: Strengthening the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) is critical to keeping thousands of small businesses alive in Missouri. This legislation ensures PPP funding reaches underserved communities, nonprofits, and responds flexibly to small businesses by providing $10 billion for COVID-19 emergency grants through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.
  • Ensure capable testing, tracing and treatment: In order safely reopen our communities, something we all wish to happen as soon as possible, we have to have a science-based approach and ensure that every American can access free treatment. This bill provides $75 billion towards ramping up the production of testing and contact tracing capabilities as well as ensuring free treatment for every American infected by COVID-19.
  • Protects the Postal Service: Missouri seniors, veterans, and rural communities rely on the Postal Service to affordably deliver life-saving medications and important documents through the mail. The Heroes Act protects and preserves the United States Postal Service (USPS) by providing $25 billion to keep the institution—with its more than 600,000 workers—up and running.
  • Provides further support for Missourians and all Americans, including for:
    • Health security – Over 27 million Americans have lost health insurance after being laid off from work. The Heroes Act administers COBRA subsidies and a special enrollment period in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges for those without insurance.
    • Workplace security – Unfortunately, we've seen essential workers in Missouri forced to work in unsafe and vulnerable conditions. By requiring OSHA to ensure that all workplaces develop science-based infection control plans and preventing employers from retaliating against workers who report problems, we can keep Missouri workers safe from unnecessary infections.
    • Housing security – In April, nearly one-third of American renters couldn't pay their rent. With $175 billion to assist renters and homeowners make monthly rent, mortgage and utility payments and other housing-related costs, we can ensure Missourians can keep a roof over their head.
    • Food security – Food banks are seeing lines longer than ever before. This bill affords a 15% increase to the maximum SNAP benefit and additional funding for nutrition programs that help families keep food on the table.
  • Protects our democracy: It's important that every American maintain their right to vote without risking their personal safety and that every Missourian is counted in the 2020 Census. This bill provides resources to ensure safe, accessible elections and an accurate Census.

"I've talked to countless health care officials, small business owners, and laid off workers, and the need for federal assistance couldn't be more urgent," continued Congressman Cleaver. "The pain is palpable and the despair is distressing. We have all witnessed the devastating repercussions of this virus, and American families are pleading for our help right now. With this legislation we honor the sacrifices of our nation's heroes and the American people, bring immediate relief to those who have been hardest hit, and take one step closer to defeating this horrible disease."

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.