ST. LOUIS (NewsNation Now) — U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced Friday he will be introducing legislation to reimburse parents for education expenses incurred during remote learning amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Helping Parents During COVID Act of 2020 bill would give families $1,200 in direct cash assistance per month every month through June 2021 to help cover lost work shifts or wages, according to a release from the senator.
The bill would also provide a refundable tax credit of $800 per child to reimburse parents for the costs of education expenses they incurred for remote learning.
The cash assistance and the credit begin to phase out at $75,000 for individual filers and $150,000 for those filing jointly.
“I have been calling for assistance for working families since day one and the return of the school year only makes the issue that much more urgent,” said Hawley. “School closures, disruption of the standard academic calendar, hybrid and distance-learning models, and other changes have forced parents to seek alternative work arrangements or leave the workforce altogether. Since the government has asked them to deal with these realities, it falls on us to help them through it. Working families need relief as soon as possible.”