Press release issued 3/ 23/ 20
Tacoma, WA – Today, Representatives Derek Kilmer (WA-06) and Denny Heck (WA-10) introduced H.R. 6314, the Emergency Rental Assistance Act of 2020. This legislation would increase short-term rental assistance for most Americans by significantly expanding the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program.
H.R. 6314 would provide $100 billion to ESG for short-term rental assistance. This funding would be given out to states in two chunks: $50 billion over the first 60 days, then $50 billion over the following 60 days targeted toward individuals with the greatest need. This legislation would also expand who can receive these funds by allowing those at 80% of area median income (AMI) to receive ESG, a significant increase from current law. Finally, while the bill would require localities to report on use of these funds, the reporting requirements would be significantly more flexible for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis, including the allowance of virtual public hearings.
“Even before COVID-19, too many people in our region and across the state have struggled to keep up with the cost of housing. Now, ongoing efforts to combat and contain COVID-19 are making it difficult for folks to keep up economically – including on rent,” said Rep. Kilmer. “Today, Rep. Heck and I are introducing new legislation to substantially expand rental assistance and ensure folks in our region can get the help they need, as quickly as possible.”
“Housing is the single largest expense for most American families,” said Rep. Heck. “By a longshot. Right now, those same families are facing job loss, struggling with child care, and dealing with other unprecedented financial burdens stemming from the global COVID-19 crisis – and many are unable to make next month’s rent. We have to get meaningful help to them as soon as we possibly can. Using the ESG program to provide more rental assistance is something we can do right now.”
Since 2011, ESG funds have been used for short- or medium-term rental. These funds are distributed through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program formula, where states and localities apply for ESG through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Hundreds of states and localities receive these funds each year, which they allocate to eligible local government entities, nonprofits, public housing authorities, and local redevelopment authorities. These organizations distribute the grant money to individuals and families.
Kilmer Co-Sponsors Legislation to Minimize COVID-19 Impact on Student Veterans
Legislation Included in House Democrats’ COVID-19 Emergency Response PackagePress release issued 3/ 24/ 20
Tacoma, WA – On Monday, Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) co-sponsored the bipartisan Student Veteran Coronavirus Response Act Of 2020, introduced yesterday by House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-CA) and Ranking Member Dr. Phil Roe (R-TN). The legislation aims to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student veterans as schools and universities have taken proactive measures to mitigate the spread of the virus.
“If you serve our country, the federal government should have your back,” said Rep. Kilmer. “By expanding protections for student veterans during emergencies like COVID-19, preserving the work-study program, and continuing housing benefits, we’ll be taking real steps to ensure that the government steps-up and gives student veterans the support they need as our nation works to combat and contain COVID-19.”
“As we respond to the coronavirus pandemic, we cannot forget about our student veterans. This bill package will make key fixes so veterans can continue their studies without interruption, loss of income, or unexpected bills,” said Chairman Takano. “Under this bipartisan legislation, we can ensure no students have their housing cut off, lose their work study payment, exhaust their disaster housing stipend continuation payments, or lose their benefits due to a school closure from COVID-19.”
Here’s how this new legislation works for student veterans:
Work-Study During Emergencies: As institutions of higher learning are switching to solely online instruction and as campuses are shutting down as a precaution, student veterans who work on campus through VA’s work-study program will lose an important source of income. This bill gives VA the latitude to continue paying student veterans who lost their position on campus due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Expands Protections For Student Veterans During Emergencies: Currently, if schools close for up to four weeks during a term, VA can continue paying housing and allowances to student veterans. This bill builds on these protections by modifying current law to cover all emergency situations, including public health emergencies like those caused by the current spread of COVID-19. In addition, this legislation allows this protection to be triggered once every 6 months (down from 12) and creates a separate four week, uncharged period for the current COVID-19 situation.
Bridges Digital Divide: In order to halt the spread of COVID-19, many schools have begun moving to online classes -- but, not all students and schools who were attending on-site classes were able to make this transition online. This legislation would restore the interrupted term or semester of their education benefit to students who could not complete classes because of an emergency. With this fix, student veterans will continue to receive housing benefits through the end of their term and will not have their GI Bill eligibility charged for any class they were unable to complete and receive credit for if their schools or program shut down due to an emergency situation. This helps ensure student veterans can continue to cover daily expenses and pursue their degree without losing an entire semester of benefits.
Veterans Are Not Penalized For Emergency Situations: This legislation would stop the eligibility clock for student veterans and eligible dependents impacted by school closures during emergency situations by allowing VA to extend – by the same amount of time that a student was prevented from attending school due to an emergency – the “use or lose” date for VA education benefits.
Extends School Closure Protections to Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Veterans: This bill would ensure parity for veterans in the VR&E program by including protections against sudden school closures or terminations of programs that could not transition to online learning, allowing VA to pay housing and subsistence allowance through the end of a term when schools shutter, and preventing veterans from losing eligibility time when they did not receive credit for classes taken. In addition, it would provide two additional months of subsistence allowance to veterans currently participating in the VR&E program who may face difficulty securing employment as a result of COVID-19’s impact on near-term employment prospects.
Background: The Student Veteran Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 builds on recent legislation, passed by the House and Senate and signed into law by the president, to ensure student veterans will not see a reduction in their monthly housing allowance as a result of their schools moving to online instruction due to COVID-19. This legislation has been endorsed by Veterans Education Success, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and National Association of Veterans’ Program Administrators, cosponsored by 25 Members including Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Chair Levin, and will be included in the Speaker’s COVID-19 emergency response package later this week.
WORLD NEWS HEADLINES
Human rights must be maintained in beating back the COVID-19 pandemic, ‘without exception’ – UN experts---UN news
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/03/1060372
Dozens of independent UN human rights experts stressed on Thursday that in addition to public health and emergency measures, battling the COVID-19 pandemic, must respect the fundamental human rights of every individual.
Iraq: Top UN official calls on political leaders to confront COVID-19 pandemic and unite.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has compounded the political, security, social and economic crises roiling Iraq, the top UN official in the country hopes it will spur leaders to put aside their differences and unite for the common good.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/03/1060352
Gunmen kill 25 at Afghan temple, UN chief calls for accountability .
The Secretary-General condemned Wednesday’s attack on a Sikh-Hindu temple in the heart of Kabul, Afghanistan, that left dozens of civilians killed and injured.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/03/1060312
Threatened Brazilian activist fights for slavery descendants' rights.
A Brazilian activist who regularly receives threats of violence says he will continue fighting for the right of people of African descent to access land and property in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/03/1060362
Helping migrant shipwreck survivors to deal with trauma.
Every year, migrants embarking on sea-crossings see their journey end in tragedy: those who survive and return home can struggle to cope with daily life, and need support. To help migrant returnees, the UN has a range of programs aimed at tackling the mental health side-effects of trauma.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/03/1060192
UN launches major humanitarian appeal to keep COVID-19 from ‘circling back around the globe’
To confront the unprecedented worldwide challenge posed by the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, top UN officials on Wednesday, launched a massive humanitarian appeal to mitigate its impact, particularly on fragile countries with weak health systems.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/03/1060222
Debt relief milestone in Somalia, as World Bank, IMF, call for global payment suspension in light of COVID-19
The top United Nations official in Somalia congratulated the Horn of Africa nation on Wednesday for achieving the benchmark set by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), confirming its eligibility for debt relief.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/03/1060292
This week video
President Trump Signs Coronavirus Economic Relief Bill
In an Oval Office ceremony, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a $2 trillion economic relief bill. The president outlined a number of the key provisions in the bill and thanked lawmakers for coming together in a bipartisan manner to pass the legislation. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) thanked his colleagues for passing “the biggest bill in history in record time.” The president was joined by Republican lawmakers, cabinet officials and members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
https://www.c-span.org/video/?470779-1/president-trump-signs-coronavirus-economic-relief-bill
