December 21, 2020
Over the last nine months we have lost loved ones and we have battled the pain and trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ensuing economic recession has left millions of Americans struggling to get by and continued to deepen existing inequities in our communities. Since March, there has been very little help from the federal government and Congress has only passed one relief bill.
As a human rights organization dedicated to equity and opportunity for all, we were pleased to see Members of Congress come together to agree on a relief bill over the weekend. The bill includes many supports that reflect the critical needs of people in Illinois and across the country: an extension of the eviction moratorium and funding for rent relief; an extension of unemployment insurance; an increase in funding for nutrition assistance; and a check that will go directly to people who are eligible.
The bill also provides crucial resources to overcome the pandemic, including funds to open schools safely, provide public health and mental health services, distribute the vaccines, and continue COVID-19 testing and tracing. It provides additional resources for communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
However, the truth is that this bill is still inadequate in meeting the needs of millions of people. Those who are months behind on their bills, struggling to make ends meet, and juggling work and caregiving responsibilities, not to mention people experiencing homelessness or people in jails and prisons where the virus has run rampant. It also fails to address the hollowed out budgets of cities and states across the country as a result of the pandemic and economic recession.
For our nation to heal and thrive we need substantial and sustained relief and stimulus measures that center equity, such as:
- Funding for state and local governments, which Illinois and other states desperately need in order to maintain critical supports, such as health and human services;
- Extension of the CDC eviction moratorium beyond January 31, 2021 with rent relief;
- Inclusive, recurring direct payments to families so that they can meet their basic needs. This should include people who have been left out, such as undocumented people, and should implement our recommendations in order to ensure that people who should receive payments do so quickly;
- Sustained funds and flexibility for nutrition assistance to help families put food on the table long after this relief bill; and
- Investments in an equity-centered national subsidized employment program that can quickly connect people to paid work when it is safe to do so. When the job market improves, this program should provide ongoing access to subsidized jobs for people who face barriers to employment.
We look forward to working with the new Congress and federal administration to advance these and other priorities beginning in January. As millions of people continue to struggle under the weight of this pandemic and economic crisis we do not have a moment to lose.
