Marylanders across the progressive spectrum know: Corporate politicians and billionaires getting rich during the pandemic may not understand that folks are suffering, but everyday people do. We need a real COVID relief plan, not a watered-down bill to make Mitch McConnell happy.

Congress is shaping the next COVID-19 bill this week, but it’s clear that some politicians and their billionaire backers either don’t understand or don’t care what’s happening across the country. Time for all of us to remind them who they are working for.

Marylanders across the progressive spectrum know: Corporate politicians and billionaires getting rich during the pandemic may not understand that folks are suffering, but everyday people do. We need a real COVID relief plan, not a watered-down bill to make Mitch McConnell happy.

Congress is shaping the next COVID-19 bill this week, but it’s clear that some politicians and their billionaire backers either don’t understand or don’t care what’s happening across the country:

• 443,000 people have died from COVID-19, which has sickened 26.4 million people.
• More than a third of people are struggling to pay usual household expenses.  
• More than a third of people are living in a household facing eviction in the next two months.
• Twenty-three million people in this country don’t have enough food to eat.
• It has been over a month since Congress passed the last stimulus package. Though the bill provided some relief, it was not nearly enough. The voters rejected Trump and delivered a Democrat-controlled House and Senate. In this new political landscape, we finally have a chance to pass comprehensive COVID relief. Our lawmakers MUST provide the aid we desperately need.Join People’s Action in demanding that the House and Senate pass a relief package that includes:
  • Recurring direct cash payments for every adult, regardless of citizenship status.
  • An expanded moratorium on evictions for the duration of the pandemic, cancellation of rent and mortgages, housing debt relief, and a land acquisition fund to help prevent speculation.
  • Full public coverage of healthcare costs for all, including free and fair distribution of vaccines and additional funds for harm reduction services.
  • A cancellation of all student debt.
  • State and local funding to preserve critical jobs and services.
  • All policies included in the Essential Workers Bill of Rights.
  • A pathway to citizenship for essential workers and their families, immigrant youth, and TPS recipients
  • Public jobs expansion, including a Health Care Jobs Corps and Care Jobs.
  • An increase in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
  • An increase in the minimum wage to $15/hour and elimination of the tipped wage differential.
  • Support for small businesses so that they can continue to pay their employees.
  These simple demands are fundamental to the financial stability and physical wellbeing of all Americans. Almost a year into this devastating pandemic, we need comprehensive relief now.

That’s a grotesque level of suffering in the richest nation on Earth. To make things worse, out-of-touch Republicans are trying to weaken the next COVID relief bill. That ain’t right!

Your representatives need to hear that the plan President Biden put together is the floor, not the ceiling, for getting people what they need. Tell Congress we need real COVID relief NOW.

In solidarity,

Sondra Youdelman
People’s Action