Congressman Gonzalez Statement on Passage of Families First Coronavirus Response Act

WASHINGTON – Following the signing by the president of H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) issued a statement:

"This legislation bolsters the government's response to the coronavirus outbreak and addresses the severe impacts of the coronavirus on Americans' personal safety and financial security," said Congressman Gonzalez. "Emergency paid family leave, free testing and treatment, and strong unemployment benefits should be a standard not an exception in times of crisis." "We cannot afford partisan bickering when lives are at stake. We must take important steps to safeguard the health and financial security of the American people and put families first. Americans deserve nothing less than a coordinated, fully-funded, government-wide response to keep us safe during this pandemic."

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act establishes:

• Paid leave: The Families First Coronavirus Response Act provision establishes an Emergency Paid Leave Program that replaces a significant share of lost wages so that those who take leave to avoid spreading the virus or due to illness or caregiving responsibilities can pay their bills.
  
• Free testing for coronavirus: The Families First Coronavirus Response Act ensures that all individuals, including those with private insurance, Medicare Advantage or Original Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, VA, FEHBP, and TRICARE, as well as the uninsured, will have access to tests at no cost.
  
• Enhanced, emergency unemployment aid: The Families First Coronavirus Response Act gives states the resources and flexibility to provide unemployment benefits to laid off and furloughed workers, as well as to those workers who exhaust their allotted paid leave. This measure also provides additional funding to help the hardest-hit states immediately and in the future if conditions worsen.
  
• Strengthens food assistance programs: The Families First Coronavirus Response Act includes more than $1 billion to provide nutritious foods to low-income pregnant women and mothers with young children, help local food banks meet increased demand for low-income Americans during the emergency, and provide home-delivered and congregate meals to low-income seniors. It also ensures that children who depend on schools' free and reduce-priced meals continue to have access to nutritious foods in the event of school closures.
  
• Protects front-line health care workers: The Families First Coronavirus Response Act directs the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard within one month that requires health care facilities to implement comprehensive plans to keep front-line health care workers safe during the coronavirus pandemic.
  
• Safeguards Medicaid benefits: In order to prepare for the potential for new Medicaid enrollees if people lose their jobs, and to assist states as they take on additional costs that have resulted from the virus, Families First Coronavirus Response Act also increases the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) that the federal government provides to state and territorial Medicaid programs. This will prevent states from cutting benefits, reducing their Medicaid rolls or imposing greater premium and cost-sharing for enrollees.

More information on the bill is available here.