To the editor:

Every day, the economic pain caused by the novel coronavirus becomes clearer. Last week, the newly unemployed reached 36 million, a staggering loss of jobs over just two months. This includes over 600,000 people in Indiana.

Mr. Powell, chairman of the Federal Reserve, recently stressed that the federal government needs to pass more relief aid in order to avoid long-term economic pain for millions of Americans. This is a Trump appointee saying this, mind you.

The House of Representatives is pushing for just the type of aid package that would stave off Mr. Powell’s worst fears. The Democrats’ HEROES Act would provide everyday people with more stimulus checks, extend the enhanced unemployment insurance past July, prevent additional layoffs and preserve essential services by shoring up the finances of the Postal Service, states and local governments. Additionally, it would give people rent and mortgage relief during this tough time.

Unfortunately, Pres. Trump and Senator Mitch McConnell have declared the HEROES Act dead on arrival in the Senate.

The question now is: will Senators Young and Braun agree to abandon Americans in their hour of need? Or will they work diligently with their House counterparts to develop a broad-based, bipartisan aid package?

William E. Smith III, Bloomington