CORONAVIRUS RELIEF MUST PROTECT PEOPLE NOT ENRICH CORPORATIONS
ACTION ONE: CALL YOUR SENATORS
SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR WYDEN AND MERKLEY:
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code]. I am calling because…
Decades of Republican efforts to hollow out the middle class and gut our safety net programs have left millions of people teetering on the edge. With the economy slowing down, Congress urgently has to act to protect families, workers and low-income people from destitution. You must vote no on any coronavirus package which does not include stronger economic supports for workers and families including universal paid sick days and family leave, and expanded unemployment insurance.
CALL SENATOR MERKLEY
CALL SENATOR WYDEN
ACTION TWO: CALL YOUR HOUSE REPS
Not sure who your U.S. Representative is? Find out here.
SAMPLE SCRIPTS FOR REPRESENTATIVES:
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code]. I am calling because…
Decades of Republican efforts to hollow out the middle class and gut our safety net programs have left millions of people teetering on the edge. With the economy slowing down, you must work for and support a House coronavirus package which includes stronger economic supports for workers and families. And you must vote no on any legislation which does not include universal paid sick days and family leave, and expanded unemployment insurance.
CALL SUZANNE BONAMICI (OR-01)
CALL GREG WALDEN (OR-02)
CALL BLUMENAUER (OR-03)
CALL PETER DEFAZIO (OR-04)
CALL KURT SCHRADER (OR-05)
BACKGROUND:
On Friday Congress passed an emergency coronavirus response package. It’s a beginning, but has many gaps that leave us all vulnerable. For the next three days we will be focusing on some of these that must be addressed in the legislation currently being pushed through the Senate.
The relief bill just passed requires businesses to provide paid sick and family leave. However it exempts any business with more than 500 employees.
Most workers in businesses considered essential, which will remain open, work for large corporations like Walmart and are excluded. They have the greatest risk of exposure and yet are not assured of paid leave if they or their families become ill.
The new legislation must include universal paid sick days and family leave. Workers, regardless of their employers must be covered, as well as those who have already lost their jobs.
Congress has approved $1 billion in state grants to assist in unemployment insurance payments. Now Congress must expand that to cover more of workers’ lost wages for as long as this crisis continues.
This new bill proposes at least a trillion dollars in corporate bailouts. Our MOC’s must vote no on any bill that puts corporations before workers.
