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Read. Follow. Verify.Hazard Pay for Health Care Heroes Act (H.R. 8484)
Last action · April 23, 2026: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.Sponsors: Summer Lee and 22 others
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What This Bill Would Do
This bill proposes a federal grant program to provide extra pay and safety resources to essential health care workers during declared emergencies or disasters. It allows health care facilities to receive funding to provide up to $13 per hour in additional hazard pay to eligible staff.
If passed, this bill would create a federal funding stream for health care facilities to provide up to $25,000 annually in hazard pay to eligible workers during declared emergencies.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Health care workers
Eligible workers may receive additional hourly compensation and enhanced safety protections during declared emergencies.
Nonprofit health care facilities
These facilities are eligible to apply for federal grants to fund hazard pay and safety measures for their staff.
Key Facts
- Establishes a grant program for public and private nonprofit health care facilities and home health agencies.
- Provides hazard pay of up to $13 per hour in addition to regular wages for eligible workers.
- Caps total annual hazard pay at $25,000 per eligible worker.
- Defines 'eligible health care worker' as an essential worker whose duties cannot be performed remotely.
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- Includes medical technologists, public health workers, orderlies, and environmental/janitorial staff in health care settings as 'essential health care workers'.
- Allows grant funds to be used for safety measures like personal protective equipment and alternative transit.
- Applies to work performed during declared federal, state, local, territorial, or Tribal emergencies or disasters.
- Authorizes 'such sums as may be necessary' to be appropriated for the program.
- Grants are contingent on the Secretary determining that the work or commute is hazardous.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who qualifies as an essential health care worker under this bill?
Does this pay apply to all health care workers?
How much extra money could a worker receive?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
2 actions- Apr 23, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Apr 23, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced in House
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Show 18 more sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of Emergency Labor Protections
The bill explicitly includes janitorial and custodial staff in health care settings as essential workers, broadening the scope of traditional health care labor policy.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.congress.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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