The HEROES Act is a Rural Lifeline

House Democrats have proposed $3 trillion in additional relief aid in the HEROES Act. It’s a big bill — real big. Republicans were quick to reject it, but this is more than just a Democratic wish list. There is a ton of common ground in there, including billions for agriculture and rural communities that have missed out on relief in previous aid bills. For the countless problems that have cropped up in recent months, this bill brings ambition and creativity as a response. For a dairy industry that was on the ropes before this crisis even started, margin coverage and support. For agriculture producers who want to donate food but can’t afford the loss, full reimbursement for donations to food banks. There’s boosts to SNAP benefits and child nutrition programs. Meat processing plants have shut down because of acute outbreaks at their facilities — they get support to keep their doors open, and producers get payments for herds they’ve been forced to euthanize. On top of the previous $16 billion in direct payments to ag producers, there’s another $16.5 billion. There’s more: Billions in aid for states and municipalities faced with a fiscal cliff thanks to plummeting tax revenue. $5.5 billion for broadband expansion — something that nearly everyone agrees on but no one can seem to pass. Additional direct payments of $1200 for people making under $75,000. Additional protections for essential workers, whether they’re in a grocery store, a meat packing plant, or a corn field. A big one here is a lifeline for biofuels, an industry that has gone the entire length of this crisis without any help. They’ve been hit especially hard, with fully half the industry offline, and this relief could keep dozens of producers from going out of business. That matters to people. Industry groups of all kinds are applauding the bill — construction, pork producers, dairy farmers, biofuels. It’s a smart move by House Democrats, because when Republicans in the Senate reject this out of hand they are turning down help for the very same industries that their constituents rely on. Democrats are offering people the help that they need — Republicans are offering bankruptcy. It’s a strong contrast.