# 116-hr-6955: Essential Worker Pandemic Compensation Act of 2020

116-hr-6955, Essential Worker Pandemic Compensation Act of 2020, is a 116th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Speier, Jackie [D-CA-14] (D-CA); status Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-6955
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 116-hr-6955
- Congress: 116
- Title: Essential Worker Pandemic Compensation Act of 2020
- Status: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced: 2020-05-19
- Sponsor: Rep. Speier, Jackie [D-CA-14] (D-CA)
- Cosponsors: 27
- Policy area: Health
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Essential Worker Pandemic Compensation Act of 2020 This bill compensates specified essential workers who die or are hospitalized as a result of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) or related complications. Specifically, the bill provides death benefits to survivors of essential workers equal to the amount available under the public safety officer benefits program. Essential workers include those identified in the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency guidance or by a Special Master appointed by the Department of Health and Human Services. Such death benefits include additional payments to a surviving spouse or child enrolled in qualified postsecondary education. Further, essential workers who are hospitalized as a result of COVID-19 receive one half of the base death benefit amount.

## Cosponsors (27)

- Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2] (D-CO), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Rose, Max [D-NY-11] (D-NY), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Blumenauer, Earl [D-OR-3] (D-OR), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7] (D-IN), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9] (D-TN), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cuellar, Henry [D-TX-28] (D-TX), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- ELIOT ENGEL (D-NY), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4] (D-IL), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9] (D-TX), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-7] (D-AZ), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5] (D-CT), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18] (D-TX), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4] (D-GA), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-12] (D-CA), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8] (D-MA), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14] (D-NY), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7] (D-MA), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch [D-MD-2] (D-MD), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. San Nicolas, Michael F. Q. [D-GU-At Large] (D-GU), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5] (D-PA), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9] (D-FL), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-4] (D-CA), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Vela, Filemon [D-TX-34] (D-TX), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28] (D-CA), 2020-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24] (D-FL), 2020-05-27T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 116-hr-8015: Delivering for America Act
- 116-hr-2420: National Museum of the American Latino Act
- 116-hr-2382: USPS Fairness Act
- 116-hr-1980: Smithsonian Women’s History Museum Act
- 116-hr-865: Rebuild America’s Schools Act of 2019
- 116-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act

## Sources
- [116-hr-6955 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6955)

## Related
- [116-hr-8015: Delivering for America Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8015)
- [116-hr-2420: National Museum of the American Latino Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-2420)
- [116-hr-2382: USPS Fairness Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-2382)
- [116-hr-1980: Smithsonian Women’s History Museum Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-1980)
- [116-hr-865: Rebuild America’s Schools Act of 2019](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-865)
- [116-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-51)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-6955 (as of 2025-11-18).