CPC Center Applauds House for Swift Action, Warns Against Delay in Passing Measures to Support Families Impacted by COVID-19

WASHINGTON, DC - CPC Center Executive Director, Liz Watson, released the following statement applauding the U.S. House of Representatives for taking immediate action to address COVID-19, urging the Senate and President to follow suit, and calling for urgent additional measures:

Early Saturday morning, the House passed critical legislation to provide paid leave, food assistance, expanded unemployment insurance, and free testing for people who are affected by the coronavirus. This legislation now moves to the Senate. The Senate must act immediately to pass this legislation, and the President must quickly sign it. Any delay could worsen the spread of the virus, putting millions of Americans’ health and well-being in jeopardy.

Importantly, the House-passed legislation ensures free access to coronavirus testing, increases Medicaid funding to states, temporarily waives work requirements for eligibility for food stamps, strengthens unemployment insurance, and creates emergency paid sick leave and family and medical leave programs for certain workers. 

These are necessary steps forward in addressing coronavirus, and we applaud the House for moving swiftly. However, it is abundantly clear that people are going to feel real financial strain for months to come and that more must be done.

Future legislation must: 

  • Expand paid sick days and paid family leave protections to all workers

  • Guarantee coronavirus treatment and prevention at no out-of-pocket cost, regardless of insurance or immigration status 

  • Provide all necessary protections for health care workers and other at-risk workers 

  • Direct cash assistance to low- and moderate-income households, including those who are not currently working and those in the gig economy

  • Protect people who are unable to make mortgage, rent, student loan, insurance, or other bill payments during the coronavirus pandemic 

  • Provide child care assistance for those who must go to work despite school closures

  • Adopt humane measures to prevent spread of coronavirus among people who are incarcerated and immigrants in detention 

  • Expand voting at home to ensure all voters can participate in our democracy during this crisis

We cannot leave families and communities to weather this storm alone. The Congress and administration must act immediately to mitigate the damage to our families and communities. 

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About the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center: The Congressional Progressive Caucus Center (the CPC Center) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that drives progressive ideas into the debate, supports greater cohesion across the progressive movement, generates the momentum we need to advance racial, economic and gender justice, and builds progressive power across America. Learn more at www.progressivecaucuscenter.org. 

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