The Senate's proposed COVID-19 relief package doesn't go far enough to protect consumers.
Today, the Senate is negotiating a stimulus package for COVID-19 to provide some relief to those affected by this crisis. But the proposal doesn't go far enough to protect consumers.
Please contact both your Georgia Senators today and tell them that protections that protect consumers' health and financial well-being must be included in the package. Ask your senator to:
Implement a comprehensive national paid sick leave policy to reduce the spread of the disease.
Protect those hardest hit from economic hardship by:
Providing a 180-day forbearance period to economically distressed mortgage borrowers.
Implementing a 180-day moratorium on evictions and foreclosures.
Canceling student loan payments for the duration of the crisis.
Suspending debt collection.
Curtailing predatory lending schemes by applying an interest rate cap of 36% to high-cost loans.
Placing a moratorium on negative credit reporting.
Maintaining consumers' access to affordable communications services.
Requiring big data platforms to promote the public interest.
Preventing misleading advertising and price-gouging.
Ensure that consumers' interests are protected as industries seek federal financial support by:
Mandating fairness in the skies. Airlines must waive cancellation and change fees for all consumers during the federal state of emergency.
Accommodate hotel customers. Require hotels to honor requests for room and event cancellations without penalty and to refund deposits until the federal state of emergency is suspended or travel limit recommendations are lifted.
Reduce auto insurance premiums to reflect reduced driving. Insurers should be required to offer discounts to people driving less due to COVID-19.
Without these robust protections, many Georgia consumers will experience significant financial stress. This is not the time to exacerbate the financial stress of families across Georgia and the country.
Please call your Senators ASAP and urge them to protect consumers during this trying time!
