Friend,

Ever since the pandemic took hold in early March, millions of Americans have been struggling to make ends meet. Millions of people have lost their jobs and cannot cover their bills. Kids and their educators try to keep up, despite the lack of resources, safety guidance, limitations of remote education, and inadequate broadband and technology. Thousands of restaurants and small businesses permanently close their doors each day. Families go hungry, some losing their homes, as 8 million more Americans have been plunged into poverty.

Now the life-sustaining benefits provided by the CARES Act last March are set to expire, which will devastate too many people who are just barely hanging on. We cannot wait any longer. We must pass a COVID-19 relief bill now. Click here to tell your lawmakers to pass emergency COVID-19 relief NOW.

Congress is working on an emergency COVID-19 relief package that would extend the unemployment benefits keeping people afloat, giving working families a survival check and access to life-saving benefits like food and housing assistance, healthcare and mental health services. It would extend the Paycheck Protection Program so small businesses can keep people working. Relief would provide desperately needed assistance for vaccine distribution and COVID-19 testing and tracing. On top of all this, it would invest millions into public schools to provide the safety guardrails we’ve been advocating for since May.

This relief package isn’t perfect, but we need relief. People are hurting and this COVID-19 relief package can take the edge off and ease the suffering as we wait for the Biden-Harris administration to take charge of recovery efforts. Click here to tell your lawmakers: Pass an emergency COVID-19 relief bill.

President-elect Biden has warned us—it’s going to be a dark winter, and we have much work ahead. We know we must persuade Sen. Mitch McConnell and his caucus to pass the critical aid needed by our states, cities, towns and rural communities so that essential services stay funded and essential workers stay on the clock. We still need to fight for the necessary resources to make our schools safe to reopen and to meet the academic, social and emotional health needs of our students. We need urgent assistance for healthcare providers shouldering unimaginable pressure and strain. And we need a real plan and robust investment to ensure our most vulnerable communities can recover from this crisis.

If Congress doesn’t pass an emergency COVID-19 relief bill, we’ll see more layoffs and more families struggling to survive. Write to your lawmakers and tell them: Working families can’t wait. Pass an emergency relief bill NOW.

In unity,
Randi Weingarten
AFT president