FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
JULY 23, 2020
PRESS CONTACTS:
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Trump & Senate Republicans to Propose Nothing But Corporate Wish List in Next COVID ‘Relief’ Package
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the White House and Senate Republicans released an initial draft of their response to the HEROES Act. And in classic fashion, their plan includes next to nothing for working people, but a whole wish list of policies for corporations and billionaires. Meanwhile, the HEROES Act passed the House of Representative two months ago. The Senate could have just voted on it right away, which would have allowed unemployed Americans to breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the federal unemployment insurance they’ve been relying on would continue. Instead, that relief expires at the end of this month, and Mitch McConnell did as Mitch McConnell does: He sent the HEROES Act to his legislative graveyard.
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Continue fully funding expanded unemployment benefits — the extra $600 per week has been a lifeline for the more than 50 million Americans who have lost their jobs or income during this pandemic.
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Protect our frontline workers with hazard pay and protective equipment, fund state and local governments, and prioritize direct relief to people instead of corporations.
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Include accountability measures for public funds — millions of dollars from the Paycheck Protection Program went to large corporations, Trump’s friends and lobbyists, and billionaires.
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Pass blanket corporate immunity — shielding corporations from taking lifesaving precautions would expose thousands of employees to unsafe working conditions.
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Repeal the SALT cap — the current cap on state and local taxes (SALT) is actually a tax on the rich. Overturning this provision would mean 96 percent of this tax cut goes to the highest-earning 20 percent of households, not struggling Americans.
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Slash pandemic unemployment assistance from the current $600 per week to just pennies on the dollar.
