Today, Rep. Pete Olson (TX-22) cosponsored the House Republicans’ newly-introduced bill, H.R. 14, the Commitment to Defeat the Virus and Keep America Healthy Act. This bill is made up of more than 50 bipartisan bills from the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Ways and Means Committee and Appropriations Committee that will strengthen critical health care supply chains, ensure all Americans — especially our seniors — are able to get the care they need and prepares the nation for future public health emergencies. This package also included Rep. Olson’s bill, H.R. 8260, The Businesses Preparing for a Better Tomorrow Act. The Businesses Preparing for a Better Tomorrow Act provides tax incentives for employers to bring in outside third parties to properly train their employees on best practices to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
“For too long our government has been at a standstill as our Main Streets and neighborhoods take the economic hit. We must stop playing political games while companies continue to fail and Americans keep hurting through no fault of their own. Now is the time for action,” Olson stated. “H.R. 14 is a pandemic package that addresses the needs of the American people right now and prepares us for future national emergencies. I am thrilled my bill, H.R. 8260, Businesses Preparing for a Better Tomorrow Act, was included in this package. It creates jobs and provides tax incentives to companies that train their employees in healthy workplace practices. This tax credit provides help that is vital to getting our economy back up and running. I’m proud to support this critical package and I urge all my colleagues in the House to support this bill and help get America back to work!”
H.R. 14, the Commitment to Defeat the Virus and Keep America Healthy Act will also:
- Better prepare our nation for future public health emergencies by building on the administration’s work to strengthen our Strategic National Stockpile
- Improve our public health infrastructure around the country
- Making sure that all Americans have access to the care they need, whether it’s mental health or telehealth services
- Reinforce our efforts to end the opioid epidemic and other substance abuse disorder epidemics
- Address health disparities brought on by COVID-19
- Strengthen domestic health care supply chains that are critical to health care
- Create safeguards to ensure that funding is used as it is intended
- Ensure our healthcare heroes on the front line have the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other equipment they need to keep themselves safe while fighting COVID-19
- Increase funding for testing and contact tracing to prevent future outbreaks
- Give resources to develop and distribute diagnostics, critical vaccines and other treatments for COVID-19 and future novel viruses
H.R. 8260, the Businesses Preparing for a Better Tomorrow Act will:
- Provide a payroll tax credit for expenses used for qualified workplace best practices training associated with protecting employees from COVID-19.
- Qualified workplace training expenses are defined as amounts paid or incurred by the employer for:
- Education and training with respect to industry best practices and recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- Has a primary purpose of preventing the spread of COVID-19