Presbyterians part of call-in day to senators demanding action on COVID relief bill
by Rich Copley | Presbyterian News Service
Presbyterians are being asked to call both their senators to speak in favor of COVID-relief legislation. (Photo by Harold Mendoza on Unsplash)
LEXINGTON, Kentucky — The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness is joining with other faith-based groups in a national call-in day for action on COVID-relief legislation.
“Across the country, COVID cases are rising dramatically,” an Action Alert from the OPW says. “The fall and winter ahead of us hold significant challenges, especially at a time when many people are already facing extreme hardship.
“Continued inaction from Congress means millions will lose their homes and go hungry.”
The call is also coming from denominations and groups such as Faith in Public Life Action, the United Church of Christ, National Council of Churches, and the Network Lobby for Catholic Social Justice.
The Capitol Hill-based Office of Public Witness is asking people to call both of their senators and ask for:
- Increase maximum Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits by 15%
- Allocate more money for housing and homeless assistance and extend the moratorium on evictions
- Extend expanded unemployment assistance
- Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit
- Authorize another economic impact payment
- Authorize a pandemic Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Assistance Act
- Labor protections.
The Senate and House of Representatives have been deadlocked for months over an additional COVID relief bill to follow the CARES Act in March. Negotiations are currently underway for a bill to be passed before Congress goes on holiday recess, particularly as several provisions of the first bill including unemployment benefits and an eviction moratorium are set to expire the day after Christmas.
The Action Alert says that the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to fall disproportionately on Black people and marginalized communities. Through OPW’s Voter Voice platform, people interested in participating in the call-in day can find a call script and contact information for their senators.
The Washington-based Office of Public Witness is one of the Compassion, Peace and Justice ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency.
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