In just a few weeks, President-elect Biden and a new Congress must begin to govern a nation that is divided and in crisis. Whether our system of government can respond—let alone produce solutions to the generation-defining problems that predate the current emergency—is the question that hangs over the nation. Our leaders must decide whether to continue emphasizing their differences in an attempt to build power for imagined future battles or to do the harder (and braver) work of compromising to advance the nation’s interests. We recognize that the incentives for rigidity and division are strong and will work every day to support leaders with the courage and creativity to overcome their differences.
While 2020 has been a tough year for our democracy, we must not overlook significant legislative achievements that have supported essential workers, families and businesses during unprecedented challenges. BPC is proud to have contributed to several of these efforts and we are already hard at work building on these wins.
BPC and BPC Action have led the way developing actionable solutions to the coronavirus crisis. Our contributions have facilitated significant bipartisan achievements including:
- $400 million to states to ramp up absentee voting and vote by mail
- Access to telehealth, public health programs, and vaccine distribution
- Paid sick leave and family leave for those facing coronavirus related caregiving challenges in 2020
- A total of over $13.5 billion in earlier relief legislation and the new pending agreement to expand access to quality and affordable child care
- Funding in the new agreement to help states modernize their UI systems as well as a $300 per week supplemental benefit that would provide financial relief to struggling families that is better calibrated to previous earnings
As Congress nears agreement on FY21 appropriations and another major bipartisan COVID-19 relief package, BPC is deeply gratified for the likely inclusion of provisions to accelerate development of the technologies needed to decarbonize the U.S. economy. This energy innovation package reflects a compilation of over forty bills and vindicates the importance of effective committee leadership and members working across the aisle. It is a critical and timely investment in our nation’s economic competitiveness and represents the most significant climate change legislation adopted by the U.S. Congress in over a decade. BPC’s work to build bipartisan consensus on solutions to surprise medical billing also delivered results this year. Thanks in part to BPC’s engagement on this issue, a bicameral proposal to address surprise billing and protect consumers has earned the support of Republican and Democratic leaders of key committees in the Senate and House. As we look to 2021, Congress must extend relief for families including extending emergency paid leave and additional resources for child care which are essential to a sustained recovery.
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