March, 14 2022, 09:38am EDT
120+ Progressive Groups Urge Schumer to Finish the Job and Pass Biden's Agenda on Climate, Care, and Economic Justice
People's Action, the Working Families Party, Indivisible, and the Center for Popular Democracy Action today sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Schumer urging him to resume negotiations, hold hearings, and bring the reconciliation package to a floor vote next month. More than 120 national, state, and local organizations united in fighting for poor and working people signed the letter.
WASHINGTON
People's Action, the Working Families Party, Indivisible, and the Center for Popular Democracy Action today sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Schumer urging him to resume negotiations, hold hearings, and bring the reconciliation package to a floor vote next month. More than 120 national, state, and local organizations united in fighting for poor and working people signed the letter.
"Now is the moment to do everything in your power to ensure that we get the best, most inclusive reconciliation bill possible across the finish line. These investments will be paid for so long as you make corporations and the rich pay their fair share in taxes," wrote the groups.
While Republican and centrist obstruction delayed the passage of President Biden's agenda, the letter comes as corporations continue to squeeze families and workers among record high inflation and soaring rent and gas prices.
"The American Rescue Plan proves that federal relief works, despite corporate profiteering," People's Action Director of Federal Affairs Megan Essaheb said. "But right now the multi-racial poor and working class are hurting due to skyrocketing costs for rent, food, and transportation. Majority Leader Schumer needs to do everything in his power to pass the agenda that we put President Biden in office to achieve."
"President Biden and the Democratic majorities in Congress came into office with a mandate to deliver for people. They can rightly take credit for significant accomplishments, especially the American Rescue Plan. But with the expiration of the expanded Child Tax Credit, and with investments in children and families, health care, elder care, housing, and climate hanging in the balance, the work is unfinished. In partnership with House and Senate Democrats, we are ready to jumpstart it. It's time to make good on the commitments we made to the American people," Working Families Party National Director Maurice Mitchell said.
"For nearly a year, families across this country have been waiting for Democrats to deliver on their promises, and use this trifecta to deliver much-needed relief. Senator Schumer and Democratic leadership must do everything in their power to pass a reconciliation package that invests in our communities, brings down costs for families, makes the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share, and takes urgently needed climate action. We need to see the Senate taking action on an inclusive recovery, doing the hard work of coming to an agreement, holding hearings, and moving swiftly to a floor vote. This is what the Indivisible movement, and activists all over, have been working towards. Now, it's just a matter of Senate Democrats having the courage to simply get it done," Indivisible Co-founder and Co-Executive Director Leah Greenberg said.
"As the nation's largest multiracial organizing network fighting for a pro-worker, pro-immigrant, economically and racially just agenda for all, the Center for Popular Democracy and our affiliates have worked tirelessly to illustrate the pains and injustices our communities have experienced throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, which continues on. We have knocked on countless doors, rallied at Town Halls, mobilized tens of thousands of our supporters, and even kayaked for justice. Our people -- low income people, communities of color, working families, immigrants and more -- deserve a comprehensive budget reconciliation that will provide climate justice, lower drug prices, and provide childcare and housing for those who need it most. We call on Congress to deliver on their promises and provide the long-awaited resources and support our communities deserve," Center for Popular Democracy Action Co-Executive Director DaMareo Cooper said.
The full text of the letter and the organizations that signed onto it may be found here.
People's Action builds the power of poor and working people, in rural, suburban, and urban areas to win change through issue campaigns and elections.
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