New Jersey-2020-AR155-Introduced

An Assembly Resolution urging the United States President and Congress to establish a student loan forgiveness program for certain doctors, nurses, and emergency medical services employees.

Whereas, Doctors, nurses, and emergency medical services (EMS) employees are essential to the effective functioning of the United States healthcare system; and

Whereas, Doctors, nurses, and EMS employees exemplify selflessness and bravery while responding to, caring for, and protecting American citizens who are struggling with illnesses and injuries; and

Whereas, The day-to-day jobs of doctors, nurses, and EMS employees are stressful, and in many cases, these employees may risk their lives to care for the patients around them; and

Whereas, The already stressful job of doctors, nurses, and EMS employees is exacerbated during crises, such as the current global coronavirus pandemic; and

Whereas, Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, is a respiratory illness that was first identified during an outbreak in Wuhan, China and has since expanded across various continents including Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Africa, and Australia; and

Whereas, There have been millions of cases of COVID-19 confirmed worldwide with cases in the United States and New Jersey, and the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 is expected to rise into the future; and

Whereas, The global COVID-19 pandemic has placed additional pressures on doctors, nurses, and EMS employees as these individuals are the nation's frontline defense against the disease; and

Whereas, Doctors, nurses, and EMS employees, during the COVID-19 pandemic, continue to provide professional care services with limited resources and shortages of protective equipment, such as N95 face masks, and they continue to remain emotionally tough as many of their patients become ill or pass away around them; and

Whereas, COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease and, in many cases, can be dangerous and fatal; doctors, nurses, and EMS employees continue to risk their lives daily working amongst this life-threatening disease; and

Whereas, A growing number of healthcare professionals have contracted COVID-19 while performing their jobs; some of these infected healthcare professionals have been placed in critical condition or have even died due to COVID-19-related complications; and

Whereas, Doctors, nurses, and EMS employees will continue to risk their lives throughout the remainder of the global COVID-19 pandemic, but their contribution to society will not end; these healthcare professionals will continue to protect American citizens from injuries and illnesses into the future; and

Whereas, Healthcare professionals, such as doctors, nurses, and EMS employees, undertake many years of additional schooling in order to serve in their professional roles; this lengthy education results in large student loan debts; and

Whereas, The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF) may apply to doctors, nurses, and EMS employees who work full-time for federal, state, tribal, or local government agencies and to those who work for non-profit organizations; however, it does not apply to doctors, nurses, and EMS employees who cannot meet this criteria, such as those who work for private organizations; and

Whereas, The bravery, selflessness, and ceaseless work ethic of the nation's healthcare professionals, during the COVID-19 pandemic, should be rewarded by ensuring that all doctors, nurses, and EMS employees involved in the provision of services during the pandemic are eligible to receive federal student loan forgiveness; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. This House urges the United States President and Congress to establish a student loan forgiveness program for doctors, nurses, and emergency medical services employees who provide services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of the State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the President of the United States, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the New Jersey congressional delegation.

STATEMENT

This resolution urges Congress to establish a student loan forgiveness program for doctors, nurses, and emergency medical services employees that provide services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Doctors, nurses, and EMS employees respond to, care for, and protect American citizens from illness and injury every day. However, the already stressful job of doctors, nurses, and EMS employees is exacerbated during crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 has increased the workloads of healthcare professionals and has forced doctors, nurses, and EMS employees to risk their lives while providing professional care services for others amidst this dangerous disease. Healthcare professionals continue to protect and care for their patients, during the COVID-19 pandemic, amongst limited resources and shortages of protective equipment.

The bravery, courageousness, selflessness, and ceaseless work ethic of the nation's healthcare professionals, during the COVID-19 pandemic, should be rewarded. Although there is no reward that equates to the risks these healthcare professionals have taken, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States can provide monetary aid to these healthcare professionals, which will help minimize the massive student loan debts these healthcare professionals have accumulated over the years as a result of lengthy education. Establishing a student loan forgiveness program for doctors, nurses, and EMS employees who provided services during the COVID-19 pandemic will reduce financial stressors among these hardworking healthcare professionals and show them that the United States acknowledges and appreciates their hard work during this challenging time.