Congress Must Provide Relief to All Communities

Covid-19, Economic Justice News, Economic Justice Resources 12.16.20

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Charmaine Riley, The Leadership Conference, [email protected]

WASHINGTON – LaShawn Warren, executive vice president of government affairs at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on the pending COVID-19 relief legislation: 

“America is facing an unprecedented national crisis. People are getting sick and dying, losing their jobs, and worrying about how they are going to pay rent or mortgages and educate their children. Congress must act swiftly to provide relief to all communities during this dire time, including stimulus payments to immigrant taxpayers. We must leave no one behind.”

The Leadership Conference has long called for legislation to address the pandemic that includes the following principles:

  • Protect immigrants and citizens alike
  • Reduce risks to incarcerated people and corrections employees by releasing more people from prisons, jails, and detention facilities
  • Provide more relief for our most marginalized communities
  • Protect the most vulnerable working people
  • Reject immunity for businesses
  • Ensure equal access to quality health care
  • Safeguard homes and financial health, and provide shelter to those most in need
  • Combat the sharp increase in hate crimes
  • Minimize learning loss, ensure equal educational opportunity, and protect student loan borrowers
  • Ensure a fair and accurate census

Earlier this month, The Leadership Conference urged the Senate to take strong, comprehensive action during the lame duck session to address the health and economic consequences of the COVID-19 crisis. Read that letter here.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 220 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.