House Democrats have unveiled a revised $2.2 trillion HEROES Act, which includes a number of measures aimed at helping troubled Americans, companies and local governments hit hard by the pandemic.
The package restores several of the same programs put into place by the CARES Act back in March. Notably, the revised HEROES Act includes a second round of $1,200 stimulus checks aimed to assist middle- and low-income families, as well as $600 in extra weekly jobless benefits, both of which have provided a lifeline to tens of millions of citizens who became unemployed due to the crisis.
Individual taxpayers with incomes of up to $75,000 would receive $1,200. Married taxpayers with incomes of up to $150,000 would receive $2,400. An additional $500 will be paid to those for each dependent, which includes children under 17, adult dependents and older high school and college students who are claimed as dependents on their parents’ tax returns.
Single taxpayers making more than $99,000 and married couples earning more than $198,000 annually would see their payments reduced.
In a statement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the bill has a price tag that is $1.2 trillion less than the Democrats’ original HEROES Act in May.
Now Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin resume talks to pass a measure that both can agree on, hopefully before November 3, Election Day. But according to economic analysts, the odds of passing the bill are long. [READ MORE]
MORE ON THE PANDEMIC
Two former CDC officials say top White House officials, including Vice President Pence’s aides and coronavirus task force member Dr. Deborah Birx, pushed the CDC to downplay the risk of Covid-19 among young people to reopen schools this fall.
In a story first reported by The New York Times, the White House officials attempted to circumvent the CDC to promote data that showed the spread of the virus was slowing and include information about the pandemic’s effect on children’s mental health to push for schools to reopen
Officials also pushed to promote information stating that virus spread among family members is low.
The Times obtained an email from Birx to CDC Director Robert Redfield asking him to incorporate the document as “background” in CDC guidance for reopening schools.
According to a new Women in the Workplace study, one in four women are considering leaving the workforce or changing their careers because of COVID-19, possibly eliminating gains made by women in management and senior leadership over the past six years.
This marks the first time in six years of the annual report that found evidence of women choosing to possibly leave their jobs at higher rates than men. Among senior-level women, almost 3 in 4 of them cited “burnout” as the main reason for considering leaving the workforce or working at a reduced capacity.
Studies have shown that women with children were three times as likely as fathers to be responsible for most of the housework and childcare during the pandemic.
Eight players and staff from the Tennessee Titans NFL team have tested positive for Covid-19.
The NFL and NFLPA confirmed that five personnel have tested positive. Players who are infected include defensive tackle DaQuan Jones, long snapper Beau Brinkley and tight end Tommy Hudson.
Players and staff on the Minnesota Vikings team, who played the Titans on Sunday, are also activating safety protocols. The NFL has not decided if this week’s game between the Titans and the Pittsburgh Steelers will be played.
Employees at the iconic brand Essence will immediately face furloughs amid the coronavirus crisis.
According to a statement by the company, neither Essence magazine (in its digital or print formats) nor its Essence Festival of Culture, which went virtual this year, is “going anywhere.”
Furloughed employees will stop work immediately, but will be paid through the end of this week while continuing to receive medical coverage for the next six months.
Disney also announced thousands of layoffs in its Parks, Experiences and Products unit in the U.S. The company says 28,000, or 67% of its workers, will be laid off as part-time workers.
Josh D’Amaro, the chairman of Disney (DIS) Parks, said the staffing cuts were necessary because of the “prolonged impact” of coronavirus on business. That included “limited capacity due to physical distancing requirements and the continued uncertainty regarding the duration of the pandemic.”
Disney originally planned to reopen the resort located in Anaheim, California, on July 17, but that reopening was delayed indefinitely.
