For Immediate Release
Contact: Natalia Pérez Santos
Email: NPerezSantos@afscme.org

Senate inaction continues to cost American workers

Following the release of the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Situation report for July, AFSCME President Lee Saunders issued the following statement:
“Today’s report confirms what we have known for months: we need a bold, urgent solution to the catastrophic public health and economic crises that are exacting a brutal toll on our communities.
 
“The nation has lost nearly 13 million jobs since February, 1.2 million of them in the public sector alone. In the meantime, GDP declined at an annual rate close to 33% in the second quarter, and we just had our 20th week in a row with more than 1 million new unemployment claims. But the U.S. Senate continues to do nothing, and the Trump White House continues to ignore the severity of the pandemic and the economic devastation. Every day that they fail to act is another day that working families continue to suffer and another day the economy remains mired in recession.
 
“Nearly three months ago, the House passed a bill that meets the moment and addresses the gravity of the current challenge. It includes substantial aid for states, cities, towns and schools and the essential services needed to beat the pandemic and reopen the economy. But for some reason, the White House and Mitch McConnell appear all too happy to let death, joblessness and despair across America’s communities continue.
 
“In November, rest assured that voters will remember who acted to protect our communities and who abandoned their responsibility.”