Congress Must Protect Our Most Vulnerable in Coronavirus Response

Author

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Release Date

Thursday, March 12, 2020

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WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act:

“The spread of COVID-19 is more than a public health crisis. It is also an economic security crisis that could inflict its heaviest damage on the millions of working people in our country — and on their families. The House and Senate should quickly pass the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, without weakening its strong provisions.

“The onset of the Coronavirus has laid bare the structural racism and barriers to opportunity that are entrenched in our society. These injustices are not only immoral, but also make confronting the crisis more challenging. As Congress continues to address this ongoing public health emergency, it must take steps to address these underlying problems. Unless fundamental changes are made, our most vulnerable will face grave risk, now more than ever.”

BACKGROUND

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act provides critical and immediate help for people in America in the face of this global pandemic, including paid sick leave, emergency paid leave benefits, emergency funding for unemployment insurance benefits, support for family and child nutrition programs, and investments in Medicaid.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 220 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.


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