“The moms of America strongly support getting immediate economic relief to our country’s families, but we do not support empty promises or unworkable, inactionable Executive Orders that will result in nothing more than raising people’s hopes -- only to then dash them.

“President Trump is feeling the pressure from moms, families, and businesses across the nation who are rightly demanding action but instead of action, he is once again offering distraction. The Executive Orders President Trump signed today offer a false promise of relief. The emergency $600/week unemployment boost that Congress passed has been a lifeline for millions of moms and families, keeping food on the table, gas in their cars, and roofs over their heads, as well as helping keep our economy moving. But that emergency boost expired on July 31st, even though the pandemic emergency continues, and families and our economy continue to suffer.

“We need Congress to act immediately to extend the $600/week unemployment boost, which had an arbitrary end date. Trump’s $400 extension is inadequate, ill-conceived, unworkable for the states, and likely illegal. Some 30 million workers have benefited from the extra $600 per week and without it, will suffer terribly – with Black, Latinx and female workers and their families suffering the greatest harm.

“Similarly, the eviction moratorium the President announced today is insufficient and offers false hope because it only covers about half of renters at a time when many broader state and local moratoriums are expiring. Further, eviction moratoriums alone do not help renters pay their bills; instead, renters accumulate rent debt and live in terror that they will be evicted soon after moratoriums expire. MomsRising has members across the country in just that situation.

“It didn’t have to come to this. The House of Representatives passed the HEROES Act months ago, and it includes targeted, effective measures to keep families afloat while our economy recovers, including a continuation of the $600/week unemployment insurance boost and a continuation of the existing eviction moratorium. Republicans sat on the sidelines for months, refusing to offer their own plan or negotiate in good faith until millions of families were on the brink of devastation. The deadline for action has come and gone, while U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and U.S. Senate Republicans continue playing chicken with our lives.

“Our country is in the midst of a public health crisis that has taken more than 160,000 lives, shows no signs of slowing down, and has been worsened immeasurably by the Trump administration’s scandalous, boundless ineptitude. For the President to now try to swoop in and play the role of savior with empty promises would be laughable, if lives weren’t on the line. The moms of America are not fooled. We need the President and U.S. Senate Republicans to use the HEROES Act as a starting point for a legislative package that will help moms, families, our economy, and our country through this crisis -- now. The false promises, lies, infighting, and delays must end. It’s past time for our elected officials to act like leaders and support families and our economy with the unemployment insurance, housing protections, health care, paid leave, nutrition programs, and robust child care and K-12 education funding that will allow us to survive this pandemic.”