April 24, 2020: Advocacy spotlight on Highlights of this week's new supplemental COVID-19 bill

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Highlights of this week's new supplemental COVID-19 bill
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Highlights of this week's new supplemental COVID-19 bill

Today President Trump signed the "Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act." This is a supplemental COVID-19 bill.

Highlights of the bill include:

Provides $75 billion more for hospitals, physicians and health care providers to support COVID-19 related expenses and lost revenue. Language remains the same as in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and is in addition to the original $100 billion.
Increases funding for the Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program by $310 billion.
- Creates $60 billion in set asides for insured depository institutions, credit unions and community financial institutions to provide the Paycheck Protection Program loans.
Increases the authorization level for the Emergency Economic Injury Disaster Grants from $10 billion to $20 billion and appropriates an additional $10 billion.
Appropriates an additional $50 billion for the Disaster Loans Program account to remain available until expended.
Provides $25 billion to expand COVID-19 testing capabilities, including $11 billion for states and localities and dedicated funding for FDA, community health centers and rural health clinics.
Requires a strategic plan to provide assistance to states for testing and for increasing testing capacity.

Read the full summary of the bill.

A CARES 2.0/COVID 4.0 bill is already under development as well for consideration in early May and will cover a wider range of issues.