Washington (CNN) Health care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic would have some of their student loan debt forgiven under a new bill introduced in Congress. The " Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act ," introduced by New York Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney on Tuesday, would create a program that forgives federal and private loans obtained "to receive medical and professional training held by health care workers who have made significant contributions to COVID-19 patient care, medical research, testing and enhancing the capacity of the health care system to respond to this urgent crisis," according to a release from her office. Doctors, nurses, medical researchers, lab workers and other health care workers responding to the pandemic would be eligible along with others who are giving their support to fight the virus. "Frontline health workers are delivering care to the sickest patients and putting their own safety at great risk in order to keep doing their jobs," the Democrat said in a statement. She continued, "Health care workers are worrying about their own health and how it will affect their families.

Source: CNN May 06, 2020 14:53 UTC