Call Michigan Senators to Support the “Families First Coronavirus Response Act”

By MUUSJN on Tuesday, March 17th, 2020

National Emergency

Urge Our Senators to Vote for
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act — WITHOUT AMENDMENTS

Senator Debbie Stabenow: 1-202-224-4822
Senator Gary Peters: 1-202-224-6221

Houses Passes “Families First Coronavirus Response Act”

We’re in a National Crisis

It’s almost impossible to mistake that our country is in the middle of a national crisis. All states, except West Virginia, have cases of the coronavirus. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared that all Michigan K-12 schools will be closed starting on March 16th. She also ordered limits on who can visit our state’s care and juvenile justice facilities and public meetings. Thousands of events have been cancelled or postponed to prevent the spread of this deadly disease. We are being urged to frequently wash our hands and get tested if we have coronavirus symptoms (see end of this action alert). Schools, religious places of worship and public facilities are being closed. Workers have been told to stay home if they are sick or may be required to care for their children if their kids can’t go to school. Wall Street experienced massive sell offs as stocks plummeted with the disease’s impact on major businesses.

During the first week of March, Congress almost unanimously passed an $8.3 billion supplemental appropriation package to: support vaccine research; assist state and local governments in disease prevention and public health efforts; support small businesses affected by the pandemic; etc. On Friday, President Donald Trump declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency, freeing up money and resources to fight the outbreak.

Early Saturday morning, on a bi-partisan basis, the U.S. House adopted a coronavirus relief package called “The Families First Coronavirus Response Act” that dedicates billions to assist impacted families. The Act will provide more paid sick leave, unemployment insurance, free testing, expanded Medicaid for states; and more money for Food Stamps. Click HERE for more information.

The good news is that Pres. Trump’s “solution”, a payroll “tax break”, was NOT included in this relief package that was vigorously negotiated by Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. No matter how seductive it might seem for workers to keep more money in their paycheck, this proposal would undercut the future of Social Security and Medicare by diverting premiums workers and employers pay into these systems.

Although #45 supports the House coronavirus Response Act bill, he’s been pressuring Congress to institute a nine month payroll “tax holiday”. He’s said that withholding these payments (into Social Security and Medicare) would be essential to any recovery package. He’s written, “Only that will make a big difference”. For more information, click HERE.

CALL TO ACTION

Senator Mitch McConnell cancelled a planned recess so Senators can act on this issue. A vote on the Families First Coronas Response Act may come as soon as 3 p.m. Monday, March 16th.

Call Our U.S. Senators and tell them:

  1. It’s urgent that we protect people of all ages from the ravages of coronavirus;
  2. I oppose undermining Social Security and Medicare with a “payroll tax cut”;
  3. Vote YES on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act without amendments.

Thank you for taking action!

What We Need to Do to Stay Healthy

Most of you have heard this many times already, but older persons with underlying health conditions are more vulnerable to becoming infected with the coronavirus and passing it on to others. For more information from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention on ways to avoid becoming a victim of coronavirus, click HERE.

Category: News | Tags: , , , ,