U.S. Rep. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA) on April 21 introduced a bipartisan bill that would provide tax relief for America’s grocery and convenience store employees on the front lines of the pandemic.
“Grocery and convenience store workers are among the unsung heroes of our battle with COVID-19 and have played a vital role in the national food supply chain,” Rep. Thompson said on Tuesday.
The congressman sponsored the Giving Retailers and Our Convenience Employees Relief (GROCER) Act, H.R. 6567, with lead cosponsor U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans (D-PA), which would establish a federal tax holiday for grocery and convenience store employees from Feb. 15 through June 15 for individuals making less than $75,000 annually, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Thompson’s office.
If enacted, the bill also would authorize the U.S. Treasury Department to extend the benefit for an additional three months, according to the summary.
“The GROCER Act is a simple way of saying ‘thank you’ to the men and women who put themselves on the front lines sanitizing, stocking and serving communities by putting a little more of their hard-earned money back in their paychecks,” said Rep. Thompson.
H.R. 6567 has garnered the support of the National Grocers Association, the National Association of Truckstop Operators, and the National Association of Convenience Stores.
The measure has been referred for consideration to the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee.