Congressman Gonzalez Endorses 2020 Recovery Rebate Improvements in The Heroes Act

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) endorsed the improvements in H.R. 6800, The Heroes Act, which would improve the 2020 economic stimulus payment guidelines. The Heroes Act would allow for the Economic Impact Payments to be made to individuals who file their income tax with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), rather than a Social Security Number.

The Heroes Act will also make all dependents eligible for the $500 qualifying child amount in the Economic Impact Payments made under the CARES Act, previously only applicable to children below age 17. This allows households with dependents who are full­-time students below age 24 and adult dependents to also receive the $500 amount.

"Mitigating the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for families is our solemn responsibility as legislators," said Congressman Gonzalez. "For the past few weeks, I have heard from many taxpayers who use their ITIN to file for taxes and found it wrong that they did not qualify for payments. The rebate improvements in The Heroes Act are meant to help those struggling to pay rent, put food on the table, and take care of their loved ones. I have worked significantly to address the issue in this bill. We owe it to our constituents to get this right and I am proud to support these fixes."

Additional fixes in The Heroes Act for rebates will exempt Economic Impact Payments from reduction or offset with respect to past due child support and protect Economic Impact Payments from any form of transfer, assignment, execution, levy, attachment, garnishment, legal process, bankruptcy or insolvency law, and any other means of capture prohibited for payments made under Chapter 7 Subchapter 2 of the Social Security Act.

More information on The Heroes Act can be found here.