One of Rice’s colleagues, Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., also introduced legislation last week paired with that bill to provide a Workplace Testing Tax Credit. It would give businesses a refundable payroll tax credit based on their average number of employees, capping the credit between $250 and $500 per employee depending on the size of the business. It would cover 50 percent of the COVID-19 testing costs for companies working to support and maintain a healthy payroll.

“As businesses in Arizona and across the nation continue to face the ongoing challenges presented by COVID-19, it is critical for Congress to pass legislation that will ease the burden on business owners providing testing for their employees in order to support their health and safety,” Schweikert said in a statement. “This tax credit will empower businesses to make expansive testing of their employees possible while helping to support a healthy labor force. Giving our businesses the tools they need to prioritize health and safety in the workplace will allow them to continue to grow and support our economy during these challenging times.”