President Trump and Senator McConnell Insert Plan to Cut Social Security and Medicare in Republican Coronavirus Package

On Thursday morning the media reported that President Trump had backed down and agreed to drop his demand that a payroll tax cut be part of any new coronavirus relief package in the wake of public opposition. The payroll tax provides Social Security’s dedicated funding,

 and a cut would weaken the system and do little to boost the economy.

Just hours later, however, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY) announced that the Republican’s proposed relief bill would include the TRUST Act, a bill introduced by Senator Mitt Romney (UT). The TRUST Act creates a fast track for Social Security and Medicare benefit cuts, and has nothing to do with the COVID-19 crisis. 

“Using the pandemic as an excuse to sneak in a surprise attack on Social Security is a new low and we must mobilize quickly to block it,” said Alliance Executive Director Richard Fiesta. “Retirees are at the highest risk from COVID-19 -- and the Administration has failed to protect their health. Adding a scheme to cut the benefits that older Americans have earned over a lifetime of work to a pandemic relief bill is cruel, cynical and unacceptable.”

ACTION ALERT: Make your voice heard by signing this urgent petition! Tell Congress they must say NO to this bad idea before it’s too late!

Florida Alliance and State of Florida Reach Agreement to Make Voting Easier

Older voters throughout Florida will be able to vote more easily in November while protecting their health as a result of a significant voting rights agreement between the Florida Alliance and the State of Florida. Florida election officials at the state and local level will also take specific steps to ensure that all eligible voters understand their options for voting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This agreement is a victory for all eligible older voters in Florida. As a direct result of this suit, every Florida voter who needs to can cast a vote by mail and know that it will be counted. Florida’s COVID-19 cases continue to surge. It is essential that seniors avoid standing in long lines and avoid unnecessary risk while they exercise their right to vote,” said Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance.

The consent agreement was signed by Judge Robert L. Hinkle of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida on Monday. The Florida Alliance was joined in the suit by Priorities USA, Alianza for Progress, Inc, and several Florida Alliance members. 

The State of Florida has agreed to several measures that are particularly important to seniors:

• Inform voters of the availability of drop boxes for mail-in ballots;
  
• Mail unregistered but eligible voters information on how to register to vote;
  
• The Secretary of State will encourage County Supervisors of Elections to maximize the use of ballot drop boxes and early voting period and further conduct multiple workshops to train the Supervisors in availability of CARES Act funding to provide pre-paid postage for ballot return, and to ensure that all voting locations follow the CDC guidelines for polling places during the pandemic.

This year the Alliance, working with its state chapters, has filed lawsuits to protect vote by mail and absentee voters in Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin, in addition to Florida.

Biden Announces Plan to Improve and Expand Caregiving for Seniors and Children

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden unveiled a $775 billion plan to improve and support families caring for seniors, children and people with disabilities. Analysts say the caregiving plan fills a critical gap in senior health care and will help stimulate the economy, restore jobs lost during the coronavirus pandemic, and create 3 million new jobs in the next decade.

$450 billion would be dedicated to allowing patients who need long-term care to receive it at home rather than a facility and hiring 15,000 community health care workers.

Today more than 800,000 people

who could receive care at home are unable to, and wait lists can last as long as 5 years. The funding will also be used to hire 150,000 community health care workers.

Unpaid caregivers who take care of family members would receive $5,000 in tax and Social Security credits.

Families with young children would also receive support. The Caregiving plan would increase investment in early childhood education, including pre-K and new support for child care facilities.

“This innovative plan will help hundreds of thousands of older Americans maintain their independence and stay in their homes as they age,” said Alliance Secretary-Treasurer Joseph Peters Jr. “The need for affordable care is a problem that touches nearly every family, whether they have young children or elderly parents. The Vice President has developed a pro-seniors plan that older Americans need now.”

The plan would cost $775 billion over 10 years and would be paid for by repealing tax breaks for real estate investors who earn more than $400,000 and by increasing tax compliance for high earners.

$2 Billion COVID-19 Vaccine Deal with Pfizer and Federal Government

The U.S. government has agreed to pay Pfizer and German biotech firm BioNTech $1.95 billion, the companies announced Wednesday, to produce and deliver 100 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine if it proves

safe and effective. This is the largest deal between the government and companies who are already receiving funding for vaccine development.

Americans have invested more than $12 billion to drug companies in pursuit of a COVID-19 vaccine, without any requirement that any vaccine or treatment developed with taxpayer funding be affordable to anyone who needs them.

There is evidence that Pfizer has already been profiteering on the pandemic. The corporation’s stock prices are climbing despite not yet creating a vaccine, treatment or cure.

“The government seems to have cut another bad deal for American taxpayers,” said Robert Roach, Jr., Alliance President. “We need a treatment for this disease but we also need guarantees that it will be affordable.”

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