John,

Two and half months ago Democrats passed the HEROES Act, which included full funding to extend the $600 extra unemployment benefits originally provided by the CARES Act.

Last week, Senate Republicans proposed cutting that critically needed economic stimulus that would’ve had a real impact on families out of work and struggling to survive because of the pandemic to just $200.

But even with their draconian cuts, Senate Republicans couldn’t pull together a bill that the majority of Republicans would support. So on Friday night, Republicans in Congress let all of the expanded unemployment benefits provided by the CARES Act expire.

Nearly 52 million Americans have filed for unemployment in recent weeks, and instead of working to get people the help they need, Republicans are sitting on their hands.

We are in the middle of the worst economic crisis in generations, and yet Mitch McConnell can’t pass a coronavirus relief bill in the Republican controlled Senate without the votes of Senate Democrats.

This is one of the rare times since Trump became President and Republicans have controlled the Senate when Democrats in Congress have real leverage to force the support working Americans and their families need to survive into the final version of the next relief bill.

Sign our petition to Democrats in Congress: Do not compromise with the lives of American families or the health of our economy. Demand full funding for expanded unemployment benefits in the next must-pass legislation. We can’t allow millions of Americans to go without the support they need to survive each week >>

This shouldn’t be a hard decision. Republicans have already given billions of tax dollars away to multinational corporations and industries that donate to Trump and Republicans up for reelection in the Senate, and most of those bailouts weren’t even popular. But guess what, renewing the expanded unemployment benefits isn’t just the right thing to do, it IS politically popular.

According to new polling from Data for Progress, 58% of Americans believe Congress should renew the $600 per week benefits for the duration of the pandemic.

Democrats have nothing to lose and everything to gain by fighting hard to make sure these crucial benefits get renewed.

Add your name to our petition calling on Democrats in Congress to not back down in the fight to renew and fully fund these expanded unemployment benefits immediately >>

Thank you for adding your support today.

Working together, we’re building the grassroots support nationwide Democrats need to stand strong and win in the fight against the White House and Republicans in Congress who continue to sit on their hands while millions of Americans suffer every day.

— Charles

Charles Chamberlain, Chair
Democracy for America