Calls needed: Congress extend unemployment benefits now

The clock is ticking for many of the 30 million people who have been receiving unemployment benefits. Across the country, those benefits have either already expired or are set to expire tomorrow, because Republicans in the Senate refuse to take action to provide real relief.

Instead, Senate Republicans unveiled a new stimulus package bill that seeks to lower unemployment benefits for folks who are already struggling to put food on the table while, infuriatingly, doubling the so-called "three-martini lunch deduction."1 The Trump administration and Senate Republicans are not listening to the American people, and we need them to do better.

Will you call your senators and demand they extend the $600 COVID-19 unemployment benefit until the pandemic is over?

• Sen. Sinema - (202) 224-4521
• Sen. McSally - (202) 224-2235

Under the plan released by Mitch McConnell and the Senate GOP, unemployed workers would receive only $200 per week. This is not enough to survive on, let alone manage household, health care, childcare, food, and transportation expenses. What's more, this plan would require states to switch to a new and complicated system to calculate and distribute payments to jobless workers.

This is especially cruel, given that many states are already struggling to meet the demands of distributing the current benefits, which are much simpler to administer. This would delay payments for many families who are already struggling, nearly 50% of whom are people of color, who have been hardest hit by the pandemic. 

The pandemic is far from over, and the Senate needs to take the kind of action that will make sure each and every American can get through these difficult times. This is why, last week, Move on delivered over 1.6 million signatures in Washington, D.C., to demand that Congress and the Senate extend the $600 COVID-19 unemployment benefit.

We need the Senate to act with the American people in mind and pass the HEROES Act, which will ensure that the $600 unemployment benefits are extended until the end of the pandemic.

- Move on team

Source: 

1. "Senate GOP won't extend pandemic food stamps but doubles 'three-martini lunch' deduction," The Washington Post, July 28, 2020 

More Information:

Here’s How Congress Might Replace the Extra $600 Weekly Jobless Benefit - The New York Times,  July 27, 2020 

Call now: Demand the Senate pass the HEROES Act

The #GOPVacation is over, and we need to make sure the Republican Senate stops blocking relief for essential workers, the unemployed, and all of us still coping with the pandemic. 

Every senator needs to hear from constituents on this: Democrats need to hear that constituents are ready to fight to get HEROES passed—and Republicans need to know we won't stand for their obstruction! Will you call your senators, Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally, today to demand they pass the HEROES Act? 

Here's where to call: 

• Sen. Sinema - (202) 224-4521
• Sen. McSally - (202) 224-2235

Congress is back in session after two weeks of vacation, and Republicans are still stalling, even as the coronavirus crisis spirals further out of control and the economy heads toward another cliff. In the two months since the House passed the HEROES Act, there’ve been nearly 2 million confirmed cases and 50,000 more confirmed deaths from COVID-19. Just last week, the U.S. saw a record-setting 77,200 new, confirmed cases in one day alone.¹

It’s urgent the Republican-controlled Senate act today, and it’s urgent all senators hear from their constituents today. Democrats must continue to fight for HEROES, and Republicans must be pressured to act.

Call Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally now and ask them to pass the HEROES Act to protect essential workers and provide essential relief to the people who need it most.

MoveOn's executive director Rahna Epting is in Washington, D.C., today delivering your petition signature with over 2.5 million other MoveOn members signatures, all calling upon the Senate to support essential workers by providing critical COVID-19 relief, hazard pay, and funding. Coronavirus is still raging across the U.S., but the Republican-controlled Senate still hasn’t acted to provide essential workers and our communities with relief.

The country is being ravaged by Republican inaction, and the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis have an especially enormous impact on low-wage frontline workers and Black, brown, Asian American, Indigenous, and migrant communities. It’s urgent the Senate act immediately to provide critical relief for all workers and communities in the U.S.

Call now to demand Sens. Sinema and McSally get back to work right away to pass the HEROES Act before essential programs expire. 

Let’s flood their phone lines so all senators hear this loud and clear: Pass the HEROES Act now.

*Also, see links to their website in the column to the right.

- MoveOn Civic Action 

1. "U.S. reports 77,200 new coronavirus cases, shattering one-day record," CNBC, July 17, 2020

https://act.moveon.org/go/141178?t=9&akid=269223%2E18315738%2EN9z35a

Sierra Club 2020 Environmental Report Card

Actions by the 2020 Arizona Legislature and Governor Ducey Doing more harm than good

Sierra Club released its 2020 Environmental Report Card for the Arizona Legislature and Governor. This year’s report card broke heavily along partisan lines and while fewer harmful bills reached the Governor’s desk, the ones that did were detrimental to efforts to address the climate crisis and protect endangered plants and animals.

Two damaging bills reached Governor Ducey’s desk and he signed them. That is enough for him to earn a failing grade on the 2020 report card. He signed HB2686 , a measure that pre-empts local action on climate change relative to utilities within cities and counties and that was promoted by Southwest Gas to keep communities from limiting the expanded use of fracked gas within their jurisdictions. The Governor also signed HB2749, which allows data about endangered species on private lands to be kept a secret from the public. This enables big developers, mining operations, and agribusiness to hide vital information about endangered species from the people and even from other agencies.

You can find the complete report card in English here and in Spanish here.

Contact Governor Ducey

https://azgovernor.gov/engage/form/contact-governor-ducey

Arizona Governor Office, Phone

520) 628-6580

ABC's of the ACC - Learn about this powerful AZ commission

One of the most impact things we can do for the environment is to advocate with the ACC regarding energy conservation and clean energy. 

The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) has jurisdiction over the quality of service and rates charged by public service utilities. The ACC also has the power to require energy companies to transition quicker to clean energy.

The Arizona Corporation Commission is a powerful entity in our state and three of its five seats are up for election this year. Join a virtual meeting to learn about the functions and structure of the Arizona Corporation Commission.

Sandy Bahr, Director of Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon Chapter, will talk to us about the ACC, the de facto fourth branch of government in Arizona, and the role it plays in determining policy. Learn how to stay informed and shape an ACC that reflects our values.

ABC's of the ACC

Sunday, July 12, 2020 at 3 PM – 4 PM

You will need to register to receive the Zoom link to attend this virtual meeting.

https://www.facebook.com/events/288098225724795/?active_tab=about

More information on the ACC:

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2020/03/27/arizona-commits-to-100-clean-energy-by-2050/