People’s Action Week of Action Closes Out with Activists Telling Senators: It’s Your Move

31 Actions Took Place by People’s Action Organizations in 22 States Across the Country to Demand the Senate Provide Immediate Relief and Pass a People’s Bailout

Contact: Johanna Kichton, [email protected], 202.660.0605

WASHINGTON, D.C.—People’s Action’s Week of Action to demand that Congress pass a People’s Bailout is wrapping up amid a spike in COVID-19 infection rates forcing some states to reverse their reopening course. People’s Action coordinated nationwide events this week to urge Republican and Democratic senators alike to immediately pass a coronavirus relief package that includes everyone as soon as the Senate returns from vacation on July 20. 

Physical and digital events were held across the country this week including banner drops, car caravans, protests and rallies, phone and text banks, and more.

A People’s Bailout would guarantee health care during the pandemic; cancel rent and end evictions; provide emergency money for the people; extend pandemic unemployment insurance; cancel student debt; and fund green jobs for a just long-term recovery and equitable future. Millions of people are being forced to make tough choices like paying for rent or food and staying safe at home or risking their lives to go to work. 

“The pressure is now on the Senate to do its job,” People’s Action Campaigns Director Sondra Youdelman said. “People are suffering. When Senators come back to work on Monday, the first thing they should do is provide immediate relief to poor and working people across the country by passing a People’s Bailout.”

A number of events from the Week of Action garnered local press coverage:

  • Citizen Action of New York led five different events including a press conference and video meeting, an in-person rally and march, and a car caravan to urge Senator Schumer to provide immediate relief.
  • United Vision for Idaho did a banner drop at a major intersection in Boise to demand Senators Risch and Crapo protect people during this crisis: Boise Weekly, KTVB.
  • Citizen Action of Wisconsin held four actions in cities all over the state to hold Senator Johnson accountable, attracting a significant amount of local media coverage: Leader Telegram, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Madison CapTimes, WQOW, Urban Milwaukee, NBC 15, WBAY, WISC, WISC, Fox 47, WKOW, WSUM, WJFW.
  • Maine People’s Alliance rallied in Lewiston to demand Senator Collins act to extend coronavirus relief.

The member organizations and partners who coordinated physical actions are below:

  • Alabama – Hometown Action; Center for Health Environment & Justice Mentoring; Greater Birmingham Alliance to Stop Pollution
  • California – Ground Game LA; POWER California
  • Idaho – United Vision for Idaho
  • Illinois – Fair Economy Illinois
  • Massachusetts – Neighbor to Neighbor
  • Maine – Maine People’s Alliance
  • Missouri – Missouri Jobs with Justice
  • North Carolina – Center for Health, Environment & Justice Mentoring; Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League
  • New Hampshire – New Hampshire Youth Movement; Rights and Democracy New Hampshire
  • New York – Citizen Action of New York
  • Texas – Center for Health Environment & Justice Mentoring; IMPACT
  • Vermont – Rights and Democracy VT
  • Wisconsin – Citizen Action of Wisconsin
  • West Virginia – WV Citizen Action Group

The member organizations and partners who coordinated digital actions are below:

  • Alabama – Center for Health Environment & Justice Mentoring; Greater Birmingham Alliance to Stop Pollution
  • California – San Francisco Rising
  • Idaho – United Vision for Idaho
  • Illinois – Fair Economy Illinois
  • Indiana – Hoosier Action
  • Iowa – Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement
  • Maryland – Progressive MD
  • North Carolina – Center for Health, Environment & Justice Mentoring; Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League
  • New Hampshire – New Hampshire Youth Movement
  • Nevada – Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada
  • Texas – Center for Health Environment & Justice Mentoring; IMPACT

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. Prior to endorsing a candidate for president, we completed a national forum series that included Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro, and Andrew Yang. The Nation called our Iowa forum the “most in-depth, people-powered forum” of the 2020 cycle.

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