As a human rights organization dedicated to equity and opportunity for all, the COVID-19 pandemic brings unprecedented threats to the individuals and communities we serve.
Heartland Alliance supports many of the investments that are included in the CARES Act, which we outline below; however, in many ways the bill does not provide the protections that all Americans need right now and in the future. Some of the most critical components left out of the bill include:
- Robust cash support and meaningful economic relief for families;
- Universal paid and sick leave for workers;
- Assistance and protections for immigrant families; and
- Funding to support people reentering communities from detention or incarceration.
There is still much to do to ensure that all Americans have the tools and protections available to mitigate this pandemic and the ensuing economic crisis. We urge America’s leaders to continue to invest in bold solutions and lay the groundwork for longer term policy responses in order to reduce inequity and poverty, eliminate systemic racism, and achieve structural changes now that will last beyond this current crisis.
Alongside our participants and community and advocacy partners, we will continue to fight for policies that ensure equity and opportunity for all. Learn more about our policy recommendations to mitigate the COVID-19 crisis and protect families here.
HEALTH AND HEALING
Investments include:
- Funding for healthcare institutions and medical equipment: Sends aid to hospitals, nonprofits, community health centers, Medicare and Medicaid-enrolled suppliers and providers to cover COVID-related costs. Provides funding to replenish medical supplies, which includes personal protective equipment.
- Relief for state health and human services: Provides for a $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund for states that can help prevent cuts to health and human service programs.
- Drug and medical devices: Expedites the review of drug applications by the Food and Drug Administration, and incentivizes production to address potential shortages of drugs and medical devices.
- Resources for emergency preparedness programs and public health agencies: Expands emergency preparedness programs and directs funding to federal, state, and local public health agencies to respond to COVID-19.
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
Investments include:
- One-time direct payments: Provides for a one-time $1,200 check for most adults making $75,000 or less annually, according to past tax returns, as well as a $500 payment per child.
- Expanded unemployment insurance: Increases unemployment insurance by $600 per week for four months on top of what states pay as a base. Extends period of unemployment insurance to 39 weeks and provides it for individuals not traditionally eligible, such as people who are self-employed, independent contractors, those with limited work history, and others who are unable to work as a direct result of the pandemic.
- Funding for nutritional assistance: Funds the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as more families seek food assistance, the Child Nutrition Programs so children can continue to receive meals while school is not in session, and the Emergency Food Assistance Program so food banks can continue to get food to people who are hungry.
- Resources to assist individuals experiencing homelessness: Significantly boosts Emergency Solutions Grants to help states and local governments prevent and respond to COVID-19 among individuals and families experiencing or at-risk of homelessness. This funding should be available quickly and can be spent on a range of critical services, including emergency shelter, rapid re-housing assistance, and supportive services.
- Measures to help family finances: Includes funding to assist low-income families with heating bills, mortgage payments, and student loan payments. Provides for some bankruptcy protections for families.
DOES NOT INCLUDE:
- Robust cash support: While we applaud providing direct payments for Americans, it does not go nearly far enough. We need regular and robust direct cash payments for all Americans for the duration of this crisis.
- Meaningful economic relief: Immediate and meaningful relief could have helped people by ending foreclosures, evictions, utility shut-offs, bank account garnishments, car repossessions, harsh enforcement of government fines and fees, and debt collection. There could have been more support for people faced with upcoming student loan, mortgage, debt, and bill payments. In particular, Black and Latinx households have on average less savings and wealth to draw from in times of crisis than white households, and so are more deeply impacted by loss of income. While we must address the racial wealth divide in the long term, in the immediate term, low-wealth families need more than income supports. We must also provide substantial debt relief, a suspension of debt collection, relief from negative credit reporting, asset protections, and safe and affordable credit.
- Universal paid and sick leave: The bill does not further extend paid leave and sick leave to all workers, leaving many people without it.
- Many immigrant families: Direct payments are for people who have social security numbers listed on their tax returns, which makes undocumented workers and mixed-status families ineligible. Unemployment insurance is available only to immigrants with work authorization, so there is no assistance for undocumented workers or people without work authorization.
- Additional support for people who receive public benefits: There are no increases to the SNAP maximum benefit amount or increases in the minimum monthly SNAP benefit.
SAFETY AND JUSTICE
Investments include:
- Funding for prisons to fight the virus: Provides for funding for testing and personal protective equipment for prisons.
- Communication with families: Provides for free phone and video visitation for people who are incarcerated to be in touch with family.
- Expanded time for confinement at home: Allows people to serve longer in “home confinement,” which would allow judges more flexibility in giving sentences that avoid detention facilities.
DOES NOT INCLUDE:
- Changes necessary to protect immigrants: There are no strategies related to releasing or protecting the health of immigrants in custody or detention from COVID-19. There are no strategies for increasing communication between people in custody and their families. There have been no increases in supplies or procedures to sanitize facilities, and there has been no additional access to medical personnel to screen people for the virus or manage the pandemic.
- Resources for reentry supports: There are no resources allocated to state, local government, or non-profit organizations to provide support for people reentering communities from detention or incarceration.
- Guidance for law enforcement: There are no conditions attached to funding that is provided to state and local law enforcement outlining how they should serve communities during the crisis.
More ways to get involved
- Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram to stay updated on the latest developments with our work.
- Share stories of our courageous participants and employees, and help us spread accurate information about how to keep vulnerable populations safe from COVID-19.
- Make a gift to help employees across the Alliance provide access to critical supportive services to those who are most vulnerable.
- Donate homemade masks to help fight COVID-19.
We are grateful for the support and care you have for the individuals we serve, and for our employees who are on the frontlines every day.
