Tell Congress: Help Those Most Hurt by COVID-19

The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak continues to deepen for millions of people in this country and around the world. The $8 billion Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) recently passed by Congress is a crucial first step but is insufficient in addressing the growing needs of those most impacted, especially those who are low-income and most vulnerable. As this crisis escalates Congress and the president must act quickly to address the impacts of the coronavirus on our public health system, our economy, and elections. Contact your Congress members now and urge them to act swiftly and compassionately.  Take Action Sojourners’ vocation in this time is to not let our necessary social distancing lead to social isolation, deepening community without proximity to each other, and increasing solidarity with each other while home with our families. As a concrete way to love our neighbors, perhaps we can shift some of our newfound time to focus on advocating for others, being even more attentive to public policy decisions and how they can best protect the most vulnerable. Legislators are now negotiating another $1 trillion stimulus package aimed at the economic and financial impacts of the coronavirus. We believe that this economic stimulus should focus on those most impacted by a pandemic — individuals and families, especially those that are low-income; those whose jobs do not guarantee them critical protections and benefits; and those whose work does not allow them to work remotely, which puts them at heightened risk for infection. As people of faith we must remind our elected officials of their responsibility to act boldly in this moment, particularly in protecting and caring for the most vulnerable as we act with swiftness and compassion to address the ever-growing impacts of the growing pandemic. The spread of the coronavirus has and will continue to put major strains on our public health system, economy, and election process. We need major investments, protections, and innovations in each of these three areas. Public Health: Increase health care funding to states Fund emergency preparedness measures and resources Expand testing capabilities, availability, and affordability Increase funding for vaccine research Increase support to frontline medical providers — doctors, nurses, and researchers Expand hospital capacities and protections for key medical personnel Provide funding for treatment and quarantine, so that those without health insurance can access them Economy: Provide targeted rebate checks directed at low- and moderate-income people Continue to extend, expand, and modernize unemployment insurance for all workers Enact paid sick and family leave for all workers Increase homelessness assistance funding Support small, self-employed businesses where closures would most impact workers Address national supply chain shortages Give additional aid to states to avert cuts in education, health care, and other public services, especially given that state revenues will decline with a slowdown in economic activity Ensure that any aid to large businesses and corporations be conditioned on protections for workers and the public Increase and expand access to nutrition assistance to prevent families and individuals from going hungry Elections: Establish emergency contingency plans for administering elections in ways that provide access to the ballot while ensuring people’s health and safety Provide emergency funding for election preparedness Expand opportunities for eligible Americans to register to vote remotely Expand opportunities for people to vote from home or at quarantine locations Extend and expand early and absentee voting. Push states to adopt vote-by-mail elections with vote centers or other in-person options for people who prefer or need them Increase funding for adequate election and polling staffing Increase funding for voter education, awareness, and manipulation prevention In addition to these three key pillars, we also want to ensure that appropriate and necessary steps are taken to make adjustments to immigration enforcement as well as measures to protect people who are incarcerated. Take Action As this crisis continues to deepen, we and our elected officials need to remember the important words from Micah that remind us to “do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” Blessings, Jim Wallis