A Democratic bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "Hazard Pay for Health Care Heroes Act" aims to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide emergency grants. These grants are intended to safeguard essential health care workers during emergencies or disasters. The Secretary may provide funds to public or private nonprofit health care facilities and home health agencies. These funds can be used for hazardous duty compensation or for safety measures. Compensation is specifically for work or commutes determined to be hazardous.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +3
Does this make the country readier for the next outbreak?
The bill provides funding for safety measures and worker compensation to support the health care workforce during public health emergencies.
- Scored +3
Does this raise the lowest wage an employer may pay?
The bill provides for hazardous duty compensation of up to $13 per hour for essential health care workers during emergencies.
- Scored +2
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The bill provides extra compensation and safety measures for essential health care workers, many of whom are low-income earners.
The opposite
- Scored -1
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill authorizes the Secretary to provide emergency grants, which increases government spending.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Hazardous duty compensation: Eligible health care workers can receive additional pay for work performed during an emergency or disaster if the work or commute is determined to be hazardous (Sec. 2, subsection b, paragraph 2, clause A).
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Safety and protection: Grant funds can be used to provide safety measures to protect workers from hazards, including personal protective equipment, alternative transit options, and other safety measures (Sec. 2, subsection b, paragraph 2, clause B).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Limits on compensation: There is a cap on the amount of hazardous duty compensation, which cannot be more than $13 per hour in addition to regular wages (Sec. 2, subsection b, paragraph 2, clause A, subclause ii, clause I).
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Annual pay cap: An individual worker's total hazardous duty compensation is limited to a maximum of $25,000 per year (Sec. 2, subsection b, paragraph 2, clause A, subclause ii, clause II).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill provides extra compensation and safety measures for essential health care workers, many of whom are low-income earners. Would union members be better off under this? — The bill establishes a mechanism for hazardous duty pay for essential health care workers during emergencies. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The bill provides additional pay for essential health care workers performing hazardous duties. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — The bill provides additional income and safety protections for essential health care workers, a group that includes many young adults.
- Healthcare
- Does this make the country readier for the next outbreak? — The bill provides funding for safety measures and worker compensation to support the health care workforce during public health emergencies. Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill seeks to safeguard essential health care workers to ensure the maintenance of public health during emergencies.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this raise the lowest wage an employer may pay? — The bill provides for hazardous duty compensation of up to $13 per hour for essential health care workers during emergencies. Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill authorizes the Secretary to provide emergency grants, which increases government spending.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill provides additional income to essential health care workers through hazardous duty compensation during emergencies.
- 4/22/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/21/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Introduced in Senate
3 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Elizabeth WarrenDemocrat · Massachusetts