OCA Urges "NO" Vote Until COVID 3.5 Stimulus Bill Truly Puts People First

Washington, DC – OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates urges the U.S. House of Representatives to vote “NO” today on the Senate’s COVID 3.5 interim stimulus package. The nearly-half-trillion dollar package promises to restore some jobs and protect some small businesses, but still leaves so many behind. Importantly, the bill continues to exclude some residents of the U.S. from COVID testing, treatment, and financial assistance. With an estimated 10.5 million undocumented people living, studying, and working in the U.S. (1 in 6 of them being Asian immigrants), denying them emergency healthcare and financial assistance is both inhumane and jeopardizes public health. Our communities are suffering now; we cannot wait more weeks for Congress to return and hopefully pass real solutions.

With 26 million unemployment claims, we are collectively enduring an economic crisis on a level not seen since the Great Depression. Solving this crisis too will require a massive mobilization of resources to support those most vulnerable. If we want to save all Americans from prolonged economic contraction, a People First COVID stimulus bill must be our top priority.

For OCA and the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities we represent, that means: 

• Inclusion of undocumented and all other immigrants in provisions for COVID testing, treatment, and financial assistance;

• Voting protections for upcoming elections, including access to absentee ballots;

• Equitable data collection and reporting so policymakers understand how low-income, indigenous, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, Black, and Latinx people are being overrepresented in COVID cases and deaths;

• Supplemental funding to bolster English language learning resources in now-online schools, in order to meet the government’s Title III requirements; and

• Supplemental funding to strengthen language access in hospitals and clinics.

Without these critical provisions, OCA urges a “NO” vote on the COVID 3.5 stimulus package. Instead, we ask that members stay in session and fix the package to include the above. You can help by calling your Member of Congress here: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative.

OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates is a national civil rights organization dedicated to improving the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs).

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