Dear Friend,

First I want to thank you for all you’re doing to support us. I know we say that a lot, but it feels difficult to convey just how grateful we all are.

We’re all doing everything we can to take care of our families and ourselves while making sure the important work at Free Press moves forward.

And I know you’ve got a lot on your plate, too — so again, thank you so much for taking the time to sign petitions, call your legislators, spread the word on social media and make donations.

Here is an update on what we’ve been up to these past few weeks:

• There’s a lot happening on Capitol Hill right now. We’ve been pushing hard to make sure the next recovery package ensures people can get and stay connected to the internet. This week, the House passed major progressive broadband legislation as part of the HEROES ACT that would give $50 per month to people who have lost jobs, lost income or can’t afford a broadband connection; the proposal also includes important measures to prevent service shutoffs and stop price gouging on prison-phone calls. This is a big win!
• We published a detailed plan to put journalists back to work during the crisis and have been meeting with numerous congressional offices to turn these ideas into legislation. We’re fighting to make sure that help gets to local communities and newsrooms where it’s needed, not just into the pockets of big-media companies. Our proposals have been cited in numerous outlets, including The Nation, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Rolling Stone, The Seattle Times and The Washington Post.
• We’re fighting to ensure that Congress doesn’t exploit the chaos of this moment to give the Trump administration more unchecked power to spy on you. The Senate voted this week to reauthorize Section 215 of the Patriot Act. We successfully pushed for one important amendment that will improve oversight. But another amendment to stop warrantless spying on your internet browsing failed by just one vote. We’re now pivoting to the House and urging members to adopt this crucial safeguard or reject this bill. Be on the lookout for actions on this soon!
• Another major recent highlight was the Twitter town hall Free Press organized along with 30 allied organizations to #StopCOVID19Hate. As disinformation proliferates — and its connections to white supremacists are exposed — this work only becomes more important. If you haven’t already, please sign our petition to #StopCOVID19Hate now!

Now, on to the next week! Stay tuned for more essential actions in your inbox and, again, thank you so much!

Craig Aaron
Free Press Co-CEO
freepress.net

P.S. We’re living through unprecedented times and what we all do right now will help shape how we communicate and stay informed. We can seize this moment to help people get connected, amplify voices that are missing in the media, and fight against hate and discrimination. Please consider making a donation today to support Free Press' fight for truthful, lifesaving information for everyone.