Friend,

A few weeks ago, Congress worked lightning-fast to produce the CARES Act, a $2 trillion package of legislation to expand unemployment, provide stimulus checks, bail out corporations, and more. But the young people we work with have been kicked out of their homes, still owe school fees and private student loans, worry about incarcerated family members, have lost their jobs but still owe rent — and many don’t qualify for stimulus checks or unemployment! 

In short, our representatives left young people out of the COVID-19 relief bill, and we must stop Congress from repeating the same mistake.

Please use this simple form to send a letter to Congress today! It’ll only take a minute. Remember: the more letters they receive, the more likely they are to fix the gaps in their next relief bill, which is being negotiated as you read this.

Young people are falling through the cracks, especially those who are LGBTQ+, undocumented, have HIV, are people of color, uninsured, are pregnant or parenting, or have been  declared “dependents” on their parents’ tax return.

We can protect young folks by demanding the following changes:

1. Ensure stimulus checks go to EVERYONE who needs one, including young people aged 17-23 who were disqualified from receiving checks, those living with mixed-status families, including DACA recipients, temporary visa holders, and beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status. 
2. Ensure young people ages 17-23 qualify for the same expanded unemployment and paid leave given to workers over age 24.
3. Eliminate ALL work requirements for public assistance like food stamps and Medicaid. 
4. Expand health care access by ending federal bans on abortion funding, investing in telemedicine and telehealth in underserved communities, and passing the Affordability is Access Act, which would expand insurance to cover oral contraceptives over-the-counter if they become available during this critical time. Part of economic justice means that everyone needs to have access to affordable health care. We want Medicare to be expanded to include everyone.
5. Cancel ALL student loan debt. Broad cancellation of student debt will provide direct relief to millions of borrowers, bring peace of mind to struggling families, and will actually help stimulate the economy by creating long-term resources for young people to invest in their future. Why can lenders suspend payments during this pandemic, but not cancel student debt? Even when we are not facing a global crisis, student debt has created its own crisis for young people that should not exist. Read more here.
6. Guarantee nationwide cancellation of rent and home mortgage payments for the duration of the pandemic.

These are just some of the things young people need to survive. Visit our action page to read all of our demands and send a letter to Congress today.

With the US now the epicenter of the global pandemic, it is critical that Congress act to slow the pandemic, save lives, and prevent harm to young people. The only way to do that is to explicitly include us and our needs in all COVID-19 relief legislation. 

Please stay as safe as possible during this time.

In Solidarity,

Preston Mitchum (He/Him)

Director of Policy 

URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity