Dear John,

The American Rescue Plan provided much needed short-term relief to women and families in the wake of COVID-19 and the recession. But we know that because of the inequities that pre-date these crises, there are women and families who have yet to see any recovery in their communities.

Women deserve more than short-term recovery. In the last year, millions of women have left the workplace. And they still disproportionately face housing and food insecurity and lack of access to the full range of health care they need. The time is NOW for Congress to invest and fix these structural problems.

Since February 2020, 2 million women have stopped working. Despite the country slowly opening back up, these women cannot go back to work unless Congress takes significant steps to close the racial and gender gaps, increase wages, fix our broken child care system, and guarantee access to health care for everyone who needs it. At the very minimum, future funding bills must:

1. Invest in Child Care
2. Expand Paid Family Leave, Medical Leave, and Paid Sick Days
3. Invest in Home and Community-Based Services
4. Expand Refundable Tax Credits
5. Invest in Housing
6. Expand Unemployment Insurance
7. Expand Access to Health Care, Including Abortion
8. Protect Civil Rights
9. Create a More Fair and Equitable Tax System

The impacts of COVID are going to last years, and it is our responsibility to build back a future for women and girls that makes impactful, long-term change. Please tell Congress to act now to invest, expand, and protect a real recovery for women and girls.

Sincerely,

Uma Iyer
she/her
Vice President of Marketing and Communication
National Women's Law Center