WASHINGTON, D.C.–People’s Action Director George Goehl released the following statement in response to House passage of H.R. 266, the coronavirus interim emergency package:

“This moment requires the greatness of a country that sent the first person to the moon and created unbelievable breakthroughs in medicine, engineering, and industry.

“I refuse to believe that this bill is the best we can do in the face of this crisis. 

“Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump are phoning it in while this pandemic causes a depression. McConnell is talking about letting states go bankrupt rather than invest in saving them. Doing so would shatter  our education, health, and first-responder systems. The lives of everyday people are unravelling and all Republicans can think about is yanking on the threads. 

“Speaker Pelosi and Democrats have made big promises for the next rescue package. The people of this country have shown incredible patience, but that patience is wearing thin. When we get to the next CARES Act, it better be one hell of a package, because this one is a raw deal when we need the next New Deal. 

“At the very least, Congress should immediately pass a People’s Bailout, including:

• Rep. Omar’s bill to cancel rent and mortgage payments for the duration of the crisis.
• Rep. Jayapal’s bill to provide emergency health care coverage during the pandemic.
• The bill by Reps. Jayapal and Tlaib to provide $2,000 cash assistance to every person, every month, for the duration of the crisis. 

“We need Congress to get a grip. We’ve done our part and are sheltering in place at great personal and economic cost. Now Congress must do its part so we can survive.”

About People’s Action

People’s Action is a national network of 40 state and local grassroots, power-building organizations united in fighting for justice. Our organization recently released a vision for a national Homes Guarantee that has already prompted major legislation from champions including U.S. Reps. Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Rashida Tlaib. We operate the largest progressive rural organizing project in the country. The Nation called our Iowa presidential forum the “most in-depth, people-powered forum” of the 2020 cycle. 

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