Friend,

It’s time to press Congress as hard as we can to fund the frontlines of this pandemic. And it’s the Senate majority that is the real problem.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell won’t do what’s right—you can tell from his callous and cynical comment that states should go bankrupt. If he gets his way, public hospitals, public schools and public services like firefighting, law enforcement and transportation will be decimated. Republican leaders love to thank America’s heroes, but then, by their actions, they threaten those heroes’ jobs and their retirement.

Members of Congress have a choice: They can stand with McConnell and his corporate donors, or they can stand with the frontline workers, like teachers and nurses, who are getting us through this crisis—and will continue to do so in its aftermath. Standing with the heroes means Congress must provide state, local and school aid while state economies are effectively shut down.

Click here to tell your senators and representative that you expect them to support state and local aid.

I’m going to be honest with you: State and local stabilization funds aren’t the most exciting issue to talk to Congress about. And that’s part of what McConnell is counting on. He thinks the public doesn’t care and won’t speak out. But we will. Because we know this aid is critical for all of our communities. We can’t let him or Donald Trump forfeit our future.

What are we talking about in real terms? We’re talking about money that states are spending on expenses like providing COVID-19 testing to their residents; acquiring personal protective equipment for their healthcare workers; and paying the salaries of the public safety officers who are protecting us, and the educators and school staff who are teaching students remotely, and even feeding them, during this pandemic. This is money that states need to be able to continue to save lives while their revenues are way down because of high unemployment and shut down hotels, stores, restaurants and so much else.

For the foreseeable future, our communities will be coping with the loss of family and friends, record levels of unemployment and an economic crisis on par with the Great Depression. They’re going to need help getting back on their feet, and the loss of several months’ revenue has been devastating. They are counting on federal support to make sure our cities and towns can literally keep the lights on.

Even with everything AFT members have done during this crisis—and our members have been awesome—our children will have greater needs when our schools reopen. Public services have been stretched to the max after years of underfunding. If we are going to survive as a nation, we will need a massive reinvestment in public services. That’s why Congress must pass these funds.

Send a letter to your members of Congress urging them to make a $1 trillion investment in state and local governments, to stabilize public services and put us on a path to reopen safely.

Congress must act now to protect our essential frontline heroes—the nurses, respiratory therapists, food service workers, teachers, social workers, postal workers, child and home care workers, transit staff, telecom employees and other public service workers—who are risking their lives in this pandemic to serve their communities and their country.

In unity,

Randi Weingarten