You are reading

AOC Introduces Bill to Cover Funeral Expenses of COVID-19 Victims

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Image by nrkbeta via Flickr)

May 13, 2020 By Michael Dorgan

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has introduced a bill that would require the federal government to cover the funeral expenses of coronavirus victims.

The COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Act would require FEMA to provide $10,000 to the families of deceased COVID-19 victims to cover the costs associated with taking care of their remains.

Ocasio-Cortez introduced the bill with California Congresswoman Barbara Lee yesterday, which was sponsored by 12 other House Members including Queens Congresswoman Grace Meng. The bill is not part of the $3 trillion HEROES Act, which was unveiled by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Tuesday.

Ocasio-Cortez, who represents New York’s 14th Congressional district–the hardest-hit district by COVID-19 in the nation, said she introduced the bill because the virus had disproportionately impacted low-income communities.

She said that funeral expenses can add an additional burden on these families who are already financially strained. Ocasio-Cortez said that covering these costs is the “absolute least” the government can do to help them out.

“It is the very core, basic measure of human dignity,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement.

“And in the richest country in the world, we should be able to allow people to bury their loved ones in dignity,” she said.

If enacted, the bill would create a COVID-19 Burial Fund that would be run and administered by FEMA. The funds would be distributed to families that do not have insurance to cover such expenses.

Under the proposed legislation, families of undocumented immigrants would also qualify for the funds.

The money would be backdated to January 21, 2020 to account for those who have already been buried, according to the legislation.

More than 20,000 New York City residents have lost their lives due to COVID-19 complications since the outbreak began.

email the author: [email protected]

6 Comments

Click for Comments 
Bernadette Barrett

Enough is enough. Hart Island is available for those who cannot afford funeral expenses. Why is this not acceptable.

9
1
Reply
Cathy

Why should we pay for funeral expenses especially for undocumented
Immigrants. Hart island is available to people without means to bury
their loved ones.

11
1
Reply
Bernadette Barrett

Enough is enough. Hart Island is available for those who cannot afford funeral expenses. Why is this not acceptable.

10
1
Reply

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

CM Moya announces support for massive Metropolitan Park proposal near Citi Field

Council Member Francisco Moya announced his support for Metropolitan Park, a proposal put forward by New York Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International that calls for the construction of a casino and entertainment complex on the parking lot just west of Citi Field.

In a lengthy statement released on Thursday afternoon, Moya said that when he was first approached about the project, his main consideration was ensuring that it would meet the needs of his constituents and provide a major boost to the local economy.

Manhattan bouncer charged in New Year’s Day fatal stabbing in Elmhurst: NYPD

A Manhattan man was arrested on Saturday and charged in the fatal stabbing of an East Elmhurst man during the early morning hours of New Year’s Day in what notably became the city’s first homicide of 2024.

Torrence Holmes, 35, of St. Nicholas Place in Hamilton Heights, was taken into custody at his home and transported back to Queens, where he was booked at the 110th Precinct in Elmhurst on manslaughter and other charges on Saturday afternoon.