John,

You don't need me to tell you that millions of Americans are suffering from the consequences of a public health crisis that continues to spiral out of control due to the failures of Donald Trump and his Republican allies in the Senate.

Their failures to listen to public health experts have led to America’s most devastating economic crisis since the Great Depression.

With the pandemic getting worse day by day, last week was also the 19th straight week that more than one million Americans filed new claims for state unemployment benefits. Americans across the country wonder if they’ll be able to make rent, put food on the table and pay their utility bills.

House Democrats passed a plan over two months ago and the pressure for action is building on the Republican led Senate and the Trump administration to work out a deal. Here's the thing, even Mitch McConnell knows that the Senate can't wait forever AND that he will need the votes of Senate Democrats to pass the Senate's version of the recovery package. 

That means, Senate Democrats have never had more leverage than they have right now. Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Ed Markey, and Kristin Gillibrand have introduced legislation that provides a monthly $2,000 check to every individual with an income below $120,000 throughout and for three months following the coronavirus pandemic. Now, we need to build the grassroots support needed to add as many Senate co-sponsors as possible and force it's provisions into the Senate's final bill.

We can’t stand by while millions of Americans face the worst economic crisis of our lifetimes. Sign our petition calling on every Senator to co-sponsor the Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act and demand it's inclusion in the final Senate bill >>

One of the most important features of the Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act is that it is retroactive to March, meaning that every eligible person will receive $2,000 a month for every month since March. That translates to $12,000 per person for working families across America, right now.

Imagine what that would mean for families out of work, Americans struggling with student debt, and our currently cratering economy, if every household got even a fraction of the money Congress and Trump have already handed out to multinational corporations and CEOs in the first two pandemic recovery stimulus bills. That's what this bill does. It prioritizes Americans on main street over profits on Wall Street. 

This is the response we need to keep people safe from the economic and public health crisis that is currently ravaging America.

Some additional important aspects of the bill include:

• Married couples who file jointly receive $4,000
• $2,000 per child up to three children
• Every U.S. resident receives a payment, regardless of whether or not they have filed a recent tax return or have a social security number
• Forbids debt collectors from seizing the rebate payments
• Ensures the homeless and foster youth receive payments

Nearly 40 million Americans could face eviction during the coronavirus pandemic. That means 40 million people without a place to stay safe from the devastating effects of Covid-19 on top of everything else that comes with hardships of homelessness.

In all of 2016, there were 2.3 million evictions, but now, in August alone, there could be just as much as the entire year of 2016.

In addition to the eviction crisis, many student loan borrowers will not be able to make payments by the time the CARES Act pause on student loan payments ends. Young people, who make up a large portion of student loan debt holders, have been and will continue to be deeply impacted by this recession, especially when 25% of people between the ages of 16 and 24 are now unemployed.

This year's college graduates are entering the worst job market ever and without any source of income, they will be unable to make ends meet.

And as you already know, millions of Americans have lost the $600 additional support they were receiving from unemployment insurance impacting those already hardest hit the most.

Sadly the financial devastation of the pandemic is only just beginning.That's why it's critical Senate Democrats use their leverage to push for legislation that will truly keep working families out of harm's way, and we need your help to make it happen.

Add your name to our petition calling on every Senator to join Bernie, Kamala, Kristin, and Ed in co-sponsor the Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act and demand it's inclusion in the final Senate bill. There's never been a better time for Senate Democrats to be bold in their fight to protect the American people from Trump’s economic crisis >>

Senators Sanders, Harris, Gillibrand and Markey know that the Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act is the response we need to keep American’s housed, healthy and safe. Let's get as many Senators as possible to join them and add the groundswell of grassroots pressure needed in negotiations for the final Senate bill.

Thank you for adding your support today.

— Tre

Tre Graves, Campaign Organizer
Democracy for America