Among its provisions are sections to provide funding for state and local governments to support relief efforts, to require the Occupational Safety and Health and Administration (OSHA) to issue enforceable rules to protect workers during the crisis, and provide other critical support for workers and communities.

In response to the introduction of the bill, the BlueGreen Alliance released the following statement from Executive Director Jason Walsh:

“There isn’t a sliver of the American economy that hasn’t been touched by the Covid-19 crisis. The HEROES Act takes necessary steps to provide support to state and local governments that have been abandoned by the Trump administration and will finally require OSHA to do its job and release enforceable standards to protect American workers. The bill includes additional provisions to ensure the manufacture and supply of critical equipment and protect communities and workers’ jobs, wages, and benefits.

“Tens of thousands of Americans have lost their lives and millions have lost their jobs. Contrary to Mitch McConnell’s determination to ‘wait and see,’ this is the time for action. The Senate must follow the example of the House and not waste time while lives are on the line.”