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Statement

No Time to Waste. U.S. Senate Must Join U.S. House in Passing Robust Coronavirus Relief Bill

October 2, 2020
Paid Sick Days, Paid Family & Medical Leave, Early Care & Education, Federal Budget, Health Care, Immigration

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement of leaders of MomsRising, an online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on last night’s passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of a smaller version of the HEROES Act:

“A deadly pandemic that is spiking instead of coming under control. Historic levels of unemployment coupled with a disappointing jobs report, especially among women. Schools and colleges unable to function normally, if at all. Millions on the brink of eviction. Food banks unable to keep up with unprecedented demand as children, seniors and families go hungry.

“That is reality in America today. We are facing a crisis as grave as any we have faced in a generation. Yet for months, the U.S. Senate has refused to support struggling moms and families. That is simply unconscionable and it must change. America’s moms thank every member of the U.S. House of Representatives who supported the HEROES bill last night, and we thank House leaders for winning passage for the second time. Now the U.S. Senate and the Trump administration must end the outrageous delays and pass the measures the country desperately needs. There is no time to waste.”

-Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director and CEO, MomsRising

“We are especially pleased that the pandemic relief bill the U.S. House of Representatives passed last night:

  • Reinstates the $600 per week unemployment boost through the end of January, extends unemployment insurance by 13 weeks, and makes family caregiving a reason to qualify for unemployment insurance;
  • Stabilizes and supports the child care industry;
  • Extends paid family and medical leave and earned paid sick days through next February and closes loopholes in the earlier bill that left out tens of millions of working people;
  • Strengthens and extends the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit for 2021 filers;
  • Guarantees that vital nutrition programs like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and free school meals are available to all who need them and raises benefits to address increased need;
  • Provides more adequate funds for cities and states to ensure essential services and prevent unemployment from getting even worse, including funds for K-12 schools so they can safely and adequately function – virtually or in-person – in the school year that has just begun; and
  • Ensures immigrant families have access to the programs they need to make ends meet.

“The health and economic toll from the pandemic is staggering, and moms demand that U.S. Senate Republicans provide relief by passing the HEROES Act now. Instead of spending their time confirming a U.S. Supreme Court justice who will take away our health care, our right to choose abortion, and our civil rights and liberties, they must support moms and families.”

-Statement of Ruth Martin, senior vice president and chief workplace justice officer, MomsRising

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.