Dear friends,
Yesterday President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law -- finally, help is here for the American people.
The American Rescue Plan will do the following:
- Get money to those who are hurting with extended unemployment insurance and direct relief checks -- which will start hitting Americans' bank accounts as soon as this weekend
- Get more shots in arms with a national vaccination program
- Get children back in school with resources to reopen schools quickly and safely
Here in Ohio, the president's COVID relief package will provide the following:
- $5.5 billion in state fiscal relief
- $4.6 billion in local fiscal relief
- More than $4.5 billion in relief for K-12 schools
- Economic impact payments to more than 7.4 million adults and 2.8 million children
- Additional relief through the child tax credit to the families of 2.4 million kids, lifting 132,000 children out of poverty
In his first primetime address to the nation last night, President Biden offered empathy as he discussed the many sacrifices the American people have made and the heartbreaking loss so many families have suffered over the course of the last year. However, he emphasized that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Last evening, the president announced that all adult Americans will be eligible to get the vaccine no later than May 1. By July 4, we will be able to reunite with our families to celebrate our nation's Independence Day.
In this moment, it's important to note who stood with the American people and who opposed providing desperately needed relief. In poll after poll, the vast majority of Americans support the American Rescue Plan. Despite that, Republican politicians -- including every single Ohio Republican in Congress -- voted in lockstep against it.
The American Rescue Plan is the most consequential piece of legislation for working families in modern American history. It is a historic response to the moment of crisis we face and will make a real difference in the lives of Americans by creating jobs, providing economic relief and defeating this virus.
In solidarity,
Liz
Liz Walters
Chair
Ohio Democratic Party
Cutting Child Poverty in Half
On the heels of enactment of the American Rescue Plan, which includes policies to cut child poverty, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown is introducing the Child Poverty Reduction Act, which would establish a national goal of reducing child poverty by half in 10 years and require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Census Bureau to annually track the progress toward that goal. In 2018, 11.9 million children were living in poverty.
"Whether they're raised in families that are working harder than ever with less and less to show for it, or in overwhelmed and underfunded foster care programs, far too many children are brought up with the odds stacked against them," said Brown. "For Black and brown children, systemic racism often reinforces cycles of poverty. Building on the historic expansion of the child tax credit in the American Rescue Plan, which is estimated to cut child poverty in half, this legislation is an important step toward ensuring that federal policies and programs actually work to reduce child poverty and promote the health, safety and economic security for all children."
Brown has led efforts in Congress to reduce child poverty, including securing language in the president's COVID rescue package that will expand the Earned Income Tax Credit and child tax credit.
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Ohio Republicans Vote Against Pro-Worker Legislation
This week the U.S. House passed the Protecting the Right to Organize Act -- PRO Act -- which would empower workers to organize and bargain, hold corporations accountable for union-busting and repeal so-called "right to work" laws.
While several Republican representatives joined their Democratic colleagues to vote in favor of the PRO Act, not a single Ohio Republican backed this pro-worker legislation. The bill now heads to the U.S. Senate, where Sen. Sherrod Brown is a sponsor.
Click here to contact Sen. Rob Portman and ask him to support the PRO Act.
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The Democratic National Committee's Best Practices Institute is holding a six-week online course for grassroots activists and volunteers, and it starts next Tuesday evening. Learn about every aspect of campaigns -- from fundraising, to digital, to technology, to communications and more!
If you'd like to participate in this free online training series, click here and register by this Sunday, March 14.
- Tuesday, March 16 -- Butler County Democratic Party St. Patrick's Celebration
- Tuesday, March 16 -- Reynoldsburg Area Democrats Mardi Gras Celebration
- Thursday, March 18 -- Cleveland Stonewall Democrats Meeting with State Rep. Monique Smith and State Rep. Phil Robinson
- Thursday, March 18 -- Democratic National Committee Help Is Here Community Outreach Event
- Sunday, March 21 -- They See Blue Ohio Conversation with Chair Liz Walters
- Tuesday, March 23 -- League of Women Voters of Ohio Conversation about Equitable Public School Funding
- Tuesday, March 23 -- Delaware County Democratic Party Happy Hour
- Wednesday, March 24 -- Cuyahoga County Progressive Caucus Congressional Candidates Forum
- Thursday, March 25 -- Lima Mayoral Candidates Forum
- Wednesday, March 31 -- Cincinnati Mayoral Candidates Forum
- Wednesday, March 31 -- Upper Arlington Progressive Action Book Club Discussion
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