Jobs & Education

WASHINGTON – Representatives Josh Harder (CA-10) and Paul Mitchell (MI-10) along with three other colleagues today sent a letter to Robert Redfield, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) asking that first responders be added to the top priority category to receive Coronavirus testing. Last month, the CDC recommended testing prioritization to local authorities, but did not include first responders in the first category.

WASHINGTON – Today, Representatives Josh Harder (CA-10) and Jeff Van Drew (NJ-02) introduced the Fresh Produce for Kids in Need Act to help farmers get their produce to kids in need during the Coronavirus crisis. The bill would suspend a bureaucratic requirement that prevents parents from picking up fresh produce from elementary schools on behalf of their children. Students typically get access to the free fruits and vegetables at school through a federal program.

Modesto, CA – Representative Josh Harder (CA-10) today announced that Stanislaus County will receive between $90-$96 million through the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund. Rep. Harder supported the passage of the CARES Act in Congress, which made the money available through a new program. The county will use the funding to expand services and cover unexpected costs that have resulted from the response to the Coronavirus Pandemic.

Modesto, CA – Representative Josh Harder (CA-10) today sent a letter to President Trump asking for the appointment of a member of the education community to the task force to reopen the economy. Over 50 million American kids and more than 3.5 million teachers will be impacted by decisions relating to reopening the country and the current membership could leave out their needs.

Modesto, CA – Representative Josh Harder (CA-10) is encouraging his constituents who file taxes but don't have their direct deposit information on file with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to update their information as soon as possible in order to receive their stimulus checks in the next few weeks. The IRS has already started distributing stimulus payments and those who use direct deposit will get their payments weeks earlier than those who wait for a paper check to be mailed. Rep.

Modesto, CA – After hearing concerns from local workers, Representative Josh Harder (CA-10) sent a letter to President Trump asking for hazard pay and protections for essential workers putting themselves on the line to keep our country safe. Harder called on the President to ensure workers receive fair compensation and have updated national emergency standards to protect their health and safety while they continue to work. Rep.

WASHINGTON – This week Representatives Josh Harder (CA-10) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) will introduce the bipartisan Covid-19 Graduate Relief Act, with six other cosponsors, to allow 2020 college graduates to defer their student loans for three years. The Coronavirus has sent the U.S. job market into a tailspin - last month, the U.S. lost over 700,000 jobs – and this bill will help support recent graduates until the economy rebounds.

Modesto, CA – After hearing concerns from the Stanislaus County Office of Education (STANCOE) regarding an impending deadline, Representative Josh Harder (CA-10) contacted the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ask for flexibility. This year, Stanislaus County's Head Start programs became eligible for $2.5 million in Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) and Quality Improvement funding, but local officials must submit a report regarding how the funding is being used in order to receive the funds from the federal government.