News
House Recognizes Cleaning Industry in HEROES Act Passage
May 18, 2020ISSA appreciates the important provisions included as part of the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act (HEROES Act) that the U.S. House of Representatives passed May 15 related to cleaning and disinfection.
Additionally, the sweeping US$3 trillion COVID-19 stimulus legislation would provide funding for state and local governments, coronavirus testing, and a new round of direct payments to Americans. The legislation now moves onto the U.S. Senate. Of note for the cleaning industry, the House bill also incorporates:
- Hazard pay for essential workers, including janitorial and custodial staff
- Additional cleaning and disinfecting of postal facilities
- Funds for state block grants for childcare to be used for the cleaning and disinfection of those facilities
- A Homeland Security directive to put in place a preparedness plan, which includes cleaning and disinfecting of airports and planes
- Funds for cleaning and sanitization of Tribally owned and operated facilities
- Prohibiting price gouging related to cleaning supplies.
“ISSA thanks leadership in both parties for recognizing the importance of the cleaning industry in combating COVID-19 and getting Americans back to work safely,” said John Nothdurft, ISSA Director of Government Affairs. “We look forward to continuing to work with members of the House and Senate to pass a bipartisan stimulus package—one that includes a Clean Start: Back to Work Tax Credit to help ensure businesses are properly cleaned and disinfected as ‘stay-at-home’ restrictions are lifted and help prevent further infections moving forward.”
ISSA is working diligently to support the full spectrum of the cleaning industry, the U.S., and the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, including providing a variety of government affairs resources to support our members during this challenging time. For questions regarding ISSA’s advocacy efforts, including the association’s response to COVID-19, please contact Nothdurft at [email protected].
