TELL CONGRESS TO PASS A COVID RELIEF PACKAGE NOW
From Church World Service (http://www.churchworldservice.org):
Right now, Congress is considering a COVID relief package to accompany federal funding for the remainder of this fiscal year. As congressional leaders plan to include another round of stimulus checks in the package to provide relief to Americans during this crisis, it is vital that ALL of our community members are able to access this critical relief. The last round of stimulus checks largely excluded millions of Americans from accessing stimulus checks including mothers, fathers, children and immigrants serving on the frontlines of this pandemic as essential workers. The exclusion of mixed-status families and individual ITIN filers from relief legislation is both deeply unfair and has disproportionately harmed the families hardest hit by the pandemic.
In order to combat this economic and health crisis, we must provide relief to all of our neighbors, regardless of immigration status. We are stronger when we are united and extend compassion to our neighbors. There is no recovery if it’s not inclusive – the future of our communities and our economy depends on it. Join us in urging Members of Congress to protect all of our families in COVID relief.
CONTACT OUR SENATORS & YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TODAY:
Go to https://cwsglobal.org/action-alerts/urgent-urge-congress-to-include-all-families-and-neighbors-in-covid-relief/ to contact our Senators and your Representative – and make sure to insert the name of your city or town in the first line!
Sample Script: “I’m your constituent from [CITY/TOWN], and as a person of faith, I urge you to support our immigrant neighbors in COVID relief by ensuring all families, regardless of immigration status, receive stimulus checks in the upcoming COVID relief package. Millions of our community members were left out of the last round of stimulus checks because their spouse or parents were ITIN filers. The exclusion of mixed-status families and individual ITIN filers from relief legislation is both deeply unfair and has disproportionately harmed the families hardest hit by the pandemic. In order to combat this public health crisis and economic hardship, we must include all of our neighbors in COVID relief efforts. Immigrants are also serving on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response as essential workers in health care and the food supply chain. There is no recovery if it’s not inclusive – the future of our communities and our economy depends on it. My community believes that we are stronger when we care for one another, including our immigrant neighbors.”
Alternatively, you can call and/or send a message directly—go to these links for direct contact information:
- Senator Robert Casey: http://casey.senate.gov
- Senator Pat Toomey: http://toomey.senate.gov
- Your Representative: http://www.house.gov
Thank you for taking action – and please share this information with your networks!
TELL THE PA GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO PASS A COVID RELIEF BILL FOR PENNSYLVANIANS
From the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center (http://www.pennbpc.org):
We need your help to pass state legislation that would provide much-needed COVID-19 relief to the people of PA, support our local businesses, and fund crucial state programs.
As we wait for the federal government to pass a new COVID-19 relief bill, Pennsylvania state Senate Democrats have put forward a bold plan to provide relief to the many Pennsylvanians who are still struggling with the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, by borrowing funds at low interest rates. This is known as the PA CARES 21 Act. PA CARES 21 would provide immediate relief to locally-owned businesses, the unemployed, the hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians who need housing assistance, local governments, our schools, health care providers, hospitals, front-line workers, and others, as well as helping to keep the Pennsylvania economy from falling deeper into recession.
The PA CARES 21 Act is what Pennsylvania legislators can do NOW. We cannot wait any longer—we need the state legislature to step up and pass this relief for their constituents.
Please go to https://actionnetwork.org/letters/demand-action-show-support-for-the-pa-cares21-act/ to send a letter to your state legislators, asking them to support this bill and pass it as soon as possible when they return to Harrisburg! We’ve made it as easy as possible by providing a customizable draft letter.
The PA CARES 21 Act is not only desperately needed, it also makes financial sense! The state would be borrowing funds to help Pennsylvanians overcome this once-in-a-lifetime emergency, just as we have borrowed funds in the past to spread the cost of infrequent natural disasters over more than one year.
Additionally, this program would likely add, not subtract, from state funds in the short term. The long-term costs are manageable, in part because interest rates are close to their historic low. The economic stimulus it provides will generate immediate revenues for the state this year and the next, and the benefits will continue over a longer term. For example, helping restaurants in our tourist industry survive this crisis not only helps them stay in business now, it can also ensure that they are still around to bring business to our tourist destinations once the pandemic ends.
Here is what is included in the CARES 21 Act:
- Unemployment compensation protection
- Small business assistance
- Hazard pay
- Hospital assistance
- Housing assistance
- Utility assistance
- Child care funding
- Food security assistance
- PPE/vaccine funding
- Mental health programs
- Local government assistance
- DHS programs
- Transportation
- Public safety
This legislation offers Pennsylvania the right plan at the right moment to help Pennsylvania survive and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Please take two minutes to tell your legislators to support and pass this legislation immediately upon returning to Harrisburg in early January.
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