Governors and state public health departments are working non-stop to get us through the pandemic, but Trump and Congressional Republicans have refused to provide support to shore up state and local government budgets or fully fund the health system. Trump dithers and has refused to develop a coherent national plan to fight the pandemic or support the economy. Republican legislators continue to funnel ad hoc support to economic sectors that favor them.
The National Governors Association led by Maryland Republican Gov Larry Hogan has requested $500 billion to support the state governments and to fund the state administered food stamp programs that are running out of money. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans are trying to insist on a very narrow relief bill to provide $250 billion only to small businesses.
When Congress passed the $2.2 trillion dollar CARES Act to provide relief to broad sectors of society impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, Democratic control of the House was critical in forcing the Senate and Trump Administration to broaden protections to include paid sick leave and unemployment benefits for gig workers rather than just being a corporate giveaway.
Tell your Democratic Representatives and Senators to continue to demand that Congress address all aspects of the crisis including acting now to protect the November election. Democrats need to stand tough!
Call To Action
Call your Senators and Representatives on both sides of the aisle. Let them know that the new CARES 2 pandemic legislation must include:
assistance to hospitals, state and local governments, and food stamp recipients,
explicit measures to insure independent oversight of all COVID related funding.
Make sure you tell your Democratic Senators and Congresspeople to stand tough.
And don’t forget to take care of yourselves and others in your communities.