It has been nearly eight months since Congress passed a COVID-19 aid package. Much of the aid from that legislation has already expired and more will stop at the end of this year. Congress must act quickly to pass a new COVD-19 relief package that addresses the needs of the poor and vulnerable. Families cannot wait any longer. Failure to act would leave millions struggling to pay rent, buy food, afford healthcare, maintain employment, and meet their basic human needs.
As we enter Advent, a season of waiting and longing for the birth of Christ, too many are left waiting for relief. The Wisconsin Catholic Conference joins with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in urging individuals to take action to support those most in need among us. Please tell your Members of Congress it is time to come to an agreement and support those who are poor and vulnerable by:
- Providing resources to meet the needs of those who are homeless and those struggling to keep a roof over their heads.
- Increasing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit amounts.
- Enacting policies that encourage and support employers to retain and rehire workers, including sufficient unemployment compensation and stimulus payments.
- Ensuring affordable health care access for everyone during this health crisis, especially for the poor, uninsured, unemployed, and vulnerable populations, including immigrants and refugees - without providing federal funding for abortion coverage.
- Safeguarding those who are most vulnerable to COVID-19 in our criminal justice system and increasing medical resources to care for those who do become ill while incarcerated.
- Providing relief to all schools, including a ten percent reserve of K-12 funding to provide tuition scholarships for families whose children attend nonpublic schools. Within the relief set aside for families that send their children to nonpublic schools, Congress should give special consideration to those families with greatest need.
To send your message and to learn more about the USCCB’s priorities for federal pandemic relief, please click below:
