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What a terrible year it has been. And just when you thought it couldn't get any worse — well, it is.

If President Trump does not sign the omnibus appropriations and COVID-relief bill immediately, the government will shut down on Tuesday and tens of millions of Americans will be thrown into hunger, homelessness, poverty and economic destitution during the worst public health crisis in over a hundred years.

Without that bill, 14 million Americans who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own will see their unemployment benefits completely eliminated, while 20 million will not receive the $300 supplement to their benefits each week.

Without that bill, up to 40 million tenants in America who can’t afford to pay their rent will be in danger of being thrown out on the street in the middle of winter as they won’t receive the $25 billion in aid passed in the COVID-relief bill and the eviction moratorium that expires this week will not be extended.

Without that bill, money that was supposed to help the process of vaccinating Americans from the coronavirus and finally put an end to this horrific pandemic won’t go out.

Without that bill, hundreds of thousands of federal employees may go without a paycheck. In fact, many may be required to continue their jobs and put themselves at risk — without getting paid.

And if you think my Republican colleagues are staying up late at night worrying about these people, you would be mistaken.

Trump has said that he wants a bill that includes $2,000 in direct payments to every working class American. That’s great. I first introduced a bill providing that amount every month during the pandemic with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and Senators Ed Markey and Kirstin Gillibrand over 7 months ago.

And for my Republican friends so concerned about the deficit, the cost of providing one $2,000 direct payment for the working class would be significantly less than the defense bill we passed last week, or the Trump tax cuts, or the billions we’ve spent in corporate welfare for some of the most profitable corporations in America. But unlike those measures, increasing direct aid to American families enjoys the support of the vast majority of Americans.

There is only one person standing in the way: Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

A direct payment of $2,000 per working class American will likely pass the House on Monday night. Trump has said he’d sign it. And if Mitch McConnell brings it to the floor, let’s see how many of his Republican friends try to oppose a clean bill providing that aid during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

So today, as the pressure builds and the clock ticks toward a government shutdown and in support of larger direct aid to working families, I am asking you to do something important:

Sign my petition: tell Trump to sign the already-passed COVID-relief bill AND call on Mitch McConnell to bring up a clean bill providing working class Americans with $2,000 apiece to help them through these difficult times.

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This would not be the first time our narcissistic and impulsive president has shutdown the government after his administration negotiated a deal with Congress. But hopefully, if we all make our voices heard, we’ll get a resolution that provides much needed relief to the American people.

In solidarity,

Bernie Sanders

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