Week Ending August 7, 2020
Urgent Action Needed on State and Local Aid
Congress has not finished its work on a new COVID-19 pandemic relief package, critical to respond to the dual public health and national economic emergencies. The House of Representatives passed the Heroes Act (H.R. 6800) on May 15, 2020, but the Senate has yet to act. The Heroes Act provides urgently needed aid to states and localities, protects workers on the front lines, and gives front-line workers premium pay, needed unemployment and food assistance and health care for those who have lost their jobs. The House-passed bill includes $1 trillion to states and local governments to help replace huge revenue losses that are causing deep budget shortfalls and to help prevent layoffs of the front-line heroes, as well as increases for federal Medicaid funds to states and funding for schools.
- Still No Deal - After months of waiting, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who said earlier that states should just declare bankruptcy, finally released a relief package without any new flexible aid to state and local governments, without any increased Medicaid funding, without a continuation of the full pandemic unemployment benefits and without any national worker safety standards. McConnell’s Republican colleagues didn’t even support the plan. Since then talks have been going on between a limited number of congressional leaders and White House negotiators, but after weeks of waiting there is still no deal. Congress should not be allowed to recess for the summer without a deal.
What You Need to Know: The Senate must act as soon as possible and pass a plan that provides at least $1 trillion in direct, flexible aid to state and local governments, increases funding for Medicaid, and provides additional support for schools to ensure safety and to meet the needs of students learning remotely. It’s not an option to allow more Americans to lose their jobs and essential public services to be shut down. Communities can’t afford to wait. Congress must fund the front lines immediately.
Additional State and Local Aid Is Still Needed Right NOW
It’s urgent that you call your U.S. senators as soon as possible. Time is running out for Congress to provide aid before state and local governments are forced to lay off more workers. An estimated 1.5 million public employees have already been given pink slips. Front-line public service workers like you are critical to fighting this pandemic and reopening our economy. America cannot do it without you!
Please call your senators right now at 1-888-981-9704
Tell your senators that it’s urgent to fund the front lines NOW, with at least $1 trillion needed for states, counties, and cities – including more funding for Medicaid and education – for essential public services to fight COVID and reopen our economy.
For more ways to take action, visit the AFSCME COVID-19 webpage.