Congress Finally Acts on Pandemic Relief, Work Remains

Covid-19, Economic Justice News, Immigrant Rights News, Media & Tech News 12.21,20

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Shin Inouye, [email protected], 202.869.0398

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

“The year may be ending, but the crisis COVID-19 has created rages on. We applaud Congress for finally providing critical relief to people hurting during this dire time. While far from perfect, the bill takes steps toward recovery by extending unemployment and housing relief, rejecting blanket immunity for businesses, addressing the digital divide through an emergency broadband benefit, and including limited stimulus checks. However, we are concerned that many immigrants and persons with disabilities have been left behind, and that Congress chose not to guarantee paid leave for millions of working people or to enhance much needed federal funding for Medicaid.

“While the new year brings new hope on the pandemic, the damage it has wrought will linger. Lawmakers must continue to work together to provide comprehensive relief that serves all people and lifts all communities.”

The Leadership Conference applauds the inclusion of the following provisions:

  • Recognizing some mixed status families among recipients of stimulus payments
  • Extending unemployment benefits
  • Providing more relief for our most marginalized communities, including restoring access to Medicaid for Compact of Free Association (COFA) citizens, and providing targeted funding to improve testing capabilities and contact tracing in underserved and high-risk populations
  • Increasing the monthly nutrition assistance level to help address the national hunger crisis
  • Supporting parents whose incomes dropped in the pandemic year by staving off big cuts to their Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit
  • Rejecting immunity for businesses
  • Providing increased funding for free and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines
  • Expanding and improving the Paycheck Protection Program to help the smallest businesses
  • Supporting community lending in low-income neighborhoods of color
  • Providing more rental assistance and increased support for affordable homes
  • Expanding Pell Grants to reach 500,000 new recipients
  • Supporting low-income household access to broadband internet

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.