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

TELL CONGRESS: GET PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT TO NURSES FIGHTING THE CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus cases are still on the rise in 17 states, and most health care facilities currently have less than a two-week supply of personal protective equipment (PPE).

In many hospitals, nurses have already taken desperate measures to cobble together their own protection with trash bags, swim goggles, office supplies, and even diapers. If something doesn't change soon, health care workers could be forced to choose between protecting themselves and treating patients.

The House of Representatives has passed new legislation, the HEROES Act, which is our strongest tool to ensure that workers have the equipment they need. Now, the Senate needs to pass this legislation.

The HEROES Act will ensure:

• A national database that monitors medical supplies, drugs, and vaccines to ensure that progress is made toward closing gaps that lead to shortages;
• Constant communication with Tribal, state, and local officials to ensure health care facilities have sufficient PPE and other medical supplies;
• Prevention of price gouging due to demand of critical medical supplies; and
• Funding to support mobile testing and contact tracing.

Health care workers shouldn't have to risk their lives.

Can you take a moment to ask your senators to get nurses the PPE they need?

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema : (202) 224-4521

Phoenix, AZ: tel: 602-598-7327

Sen. Martha McSally : (202) 224-2235
Phoenix, AZ: tel: 602-952-2410
Tucson, AZ: tel: 520-670-6334

It's best to speak in your own words, but here are some points to get you started:

Our health care workers don't have the personal protective equipment (PPE) they need to protect themselves in the coronavirus pandemic. Losing these workers due to infection or quarantine not only risks their health, but also endangers the stability of our entire health care system. I am calling to urge the senator to support the HEROES Act (S.2248) with all of its current provisions to maintain the medical supply chain. This act would require the White House to get health care workers the PPE they need and create an equitable and transparent process for the delivery of necessary supplies. I urge the senator to protect health care workers by supporting the HEROES Act.

Tell Congress: Essential workers deserve essential protections

Millions of essential workers across the country are rising to the challenge of the coronavirus pandemic and, unfortunately, are having to put their lives at risk to care for our communities. Essential workers from health care professionals to farm workers and grocery workers to bus drivers deserve support on the same scale they are providing to all of us. Pass an Essential Workers Bill of Rights in the next federal relief package to provide needed protections, compensation, and safety nets to all essential workers.
Why is this important?

Essential workers are on the frontlines of this pandemic, and many are working in high-risk conditions without appropriate equipment, safety standards, or job protections. Workers who remain on the job without the ability to telework during this emergency include doctors, nurses, home care workers and other healthcare workers, grocery store and drug store employees, domestic workers, food service workers, federal, state, and municipal employees, janitorial staff, farm workers, delivery drivers, warehouse workers, transportation workers, and child care workers. These workers put their health on the line when they go to work every day.

In New York City, 41 transit workers have died as of April 8, and reports of essential worker deaths are on the rise. There are grocery workers who are denied sick leave and whose companies won’t provide masks or allow masks to be worn in stores. And health care workers including medical technicians, orderlies, EMTs, nurses, doctors, hospital employees are working long hours to save lives while their own families are on the edge of health and financial disaster.

The country has a moral responsibility to protect essential worker’s health, to create financial security for their loved ones, and to offer peace of mind during a time of heightened mortal and emotional stress.

This includes policies like healthcare, paid sick leave, and workplace health standards to protect against more workers getting sick. We need hazard pay and childcare to properly compensate the risk workers are taking to benefit us, and enable them to keep coming to work. And we need to hold corporations who don’t follow these guidelines accountable because lives are on the line.

Congress continues to debate more relief efforts as the coronavirus pandemic deepens the health and economic crisis hitting our nation. The next bill must meet the needs of people and our communities, with an essential worker bill of rights, and not provide more corporate bailout funds. Congress should ensure that any taxpayer dollars handed to corporations go to help workers, not wealthy CEOs, rich shareholders, or the President’s cronies.

Congress should pass an Essential Workers Bill of Rights, including:
1. Health and safety protections
2. Robust premium compensation
3. Protections for collective bargaining agreements
4. Truly universal paid sick leave and family and medical leave
5. Protections for whistleblowers
6. An end to worker misclassification
7. Health care security
8. Support for child care
9. Treat workers as experts
10. Hold corporations accountable for meeting their responsibilities

Look up your Members of Congress here:

https://contactingcongress.org/

Find out who your Representative is:

https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

Ask your County Supervisors about Chuck Huckelberry's premature call to return to work

On May 4th, 2020 the Pima County Administrator, Chuck Huckelberry, emailed a memo to county employees, demanding they return to work. You can find the “Return to Work Guidelines” memo here: https://webcms.pima.gov/UserFiles/Servers/Server_6/File/Government/Administration/CHHmemosFor%20Web/2020/May/Return%20to%20Work.pdf

It appears the Pima County Supervisors were not consulted prior to the memo distribution to employees (the memo is actually addressed to Supervisors). It does not appear the "Business and Employee Health and Wellness Task Force," set-up by Huckelberry to map out a safe reopening of businesses, was consulted or notified prior to the memo's release. The memo is dated May 4 and the Task Force didn’t have an official meeting until today. You can check out the members of the Health and Wellness Task Force here: https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=569992

The membership certainly reflects a Who’s Who of local business interests, but for a “health and wellness” group it seems strange there are no frontline healthcare workers, health scientists, epidemiologists, infectious disease specialists, occupational health experts, teachers, or directly impacted community-members.

We are concerned Administrator Huckelberry has acted unilaterally and prematurely, and that his recommendations put county employees at increased risk. Pima County is the ninth largest employer in Tucson, with over 6,000 employees. The memo ignores important realities for county employees who are parents or caregivers; without school, summer camps, day-cares and other resources available, the administrator is forcing employees to choose between their children and loved-ones and returning to work. It is alarming to see these restrictive and punitive policies outlined in a memo that shows no concern for the difficult circumstances county employees and their families are facing.

- Represent Me AZ

·

 

Find which Supervisor District you live in here: 

https://webcms.pima.gov/UserFiles/Servers/Server_6/File/Map%20Room/SupervisorialDistricts/allpc_bosdist.pdf

Ally Miller, district1@pima.gov, (520) 724-2738
Ramon Valadez, Chair district2@pima.gov ,(520) 724-8126
Sharon Bronson, district3@pima.gov, (520) 724-8051
Steve Christy, district4@pima.gov, (520) 724-8094
Betty Villegas, district5@pima.gov, (520) 724-8126.

To help ensure our county employees' health and welfare is protected, we encourage you to contact your County Supervisors with the questions below.

1. Did the Supervisors review and provide input into a draft of this memo? What alternative proposals were considered? Who is advising the Administrator on return to work strategies? What health professionals and infectious disease experts are included in the advisory task forces? What community members and workers are included? Why would Huckelberry require a return to work when the Business & Employee Health & Wellness Task Force hasn’t even had their first meeting?

2. What health data is being considered?
Why isn’t a phased and flexible approach the main strategy? The memo is contradictory in saying departments may use a phased in approach, but then saying all tele-work employees must return to work, at the in-person workspace, immediately.

3. Were the benefits of tele-work to employees, the county, and the community discussed and considered? Many employees can effectively work from home and by decreasing the in-person workforce they contribute to the safety of other employees whose jobs require their physical presence.

4. Other major employers are continuing to require tele-work for employees who are able to do so. Why has Huckelberry decided differently?

5. Why is Huckelberry requiring employees to reveal private personal medical information about themselves or their family in order to continue to tele-work? Why are county employees being required to seek out healthcare (to get a physician note) when physical distancing guidelines are still recommended?

Image: Titled “Has Chuck Huckelberry Gone Rogue?”
Photo of Chuck Huckelberry by Rick Wiley Arizona Daily Star with a list of the Pima County “Business & Employee Health & Wellness” task force members that includes all the Chambers of Commerce, members of the Chambers of Commerce, Downtown Business Alliance, etc.

Tell Congress: Stop putting Big Oil before people!

Tell Congress to get their priorities straight and stop putting Big Oil before people!

Oil executives are at it again -- demanding handouts that will let them profit from the pandemic. And unfortunately, Congress is listening. A bipartisan group just introduced a bill that would spend $3 billion on buying oil we don’t need for the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Right now, communities are facing desperate shortages of protective gear, testing kits, ventilators, and more. Congress should be providing funds for those necessities, not stocking up on dirty fuels. By wasting money on stockpiling oil, they’ll be depriving communities of funds that could support long-term recovery.

Tell Congress to get their priorities straight and stop putting polluters before people by signing the following Sierra Club petition found on the link below. Consider leaving a  personal comment for more impact.

https://act.sierraclub.org/actions/National?actionId=AR0259567&id=7013q0000028b9UAAQ

The petition reads:

 As we all pull together to protect ourselves and the most vulnerable among us from the coronavirus pandemic, I am concerned about recent legislation proposed to bailout the oil industry. This legislation, introduced by Senator John Hoeven and Representatives Lizzie Fletcher and Michael Burgess, would appropriate $3 billion for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Whether in the form of low-interest loans, purchases into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, royalty relief, or new tax subsidies, I am opposed to any giveaways to corporate polluters. The fossil fuel industry is already heavily subsidized by the federal government. In 2017, researchers showed that about half of the profits enjoyed by the oil and gas industry were derived from tax and royalty subsidies. With over 16 million people out of work, now isn’t the time to be giving handouts to fossil fuel billionaires. Instead of propping up fossil fuel corporations, the economic stimulus package should focus on protections for frontline workers, communities, and the most vulnerable among us. I urge you to oppose this legislation and ensure that it is not included in any economic stimulus package. Together, we can ensure that we have a just and sustainable recovery to COVID-19 -- a recovery that helps strengthen our communities and protect our climate.

Urge Gov. Ducey to ensure everyone has safe water in their homes during this pandemic

"Wash your hands ... and stay at home."

This is lifesaving advice from public health experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in light of the current COVID-19 crisis.

But what if you don't have running water in your home? This is the reality for a staggering number of households across the country right now — many of whom have had their water service shut off, often for being behind on their unaffordable water bills. In fact, some homes have been without water for weeks, months, or even years.

During this health crisis, water service is critical in ensuring that households can take steps to safeguard themselves through hand-washing and house sanitizing. And anyone sheltering at home needs water for drinking and cooking.

So we must call on governors in states across the country to do everything they can to make sure water service is restored to all households that have had their water disconnected.

Urge Gov. Ducey to ensure all Arizona residents have immediate access to running water and emergency water distribution stations as necessary.

No one, regardless of race, gender, income, or geographic location should go without water services at any time ... especially not during a pandemic.

Specifically, we're urging U.S. governors to use every available legal authority to:

• Stop residential water shutoffs for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis, extending until 120-days after the end of the declared health emergency to allow people time to regain their financial footing
• Ensure that utilities reconnect households without water as quickly as possible, proactively and without the need for a customer to make a specific request
• Ensure that water reconnections are done safely, for both residents and workers
• Where necessary, establish emergency water distribution stations for households waiting for their water to be turned back on
• Make sure utilities waive late fees, interest, and related charges, suspend the use of liens as a collection practice, and provide extended repayment plans after the crisis

We're also asking our governors to stop electricity and gas shutoffs during the pandemic, and to ensure these critical services are also restored to homes.

Some states have already required water, electric, and gas utilities to place a moratorium on shutoffs during the crisis, although very few have done so for water. And many utilities have already made this commitment themselves. That is progress.

But we must ensure that every governor explicitly uses their executive authority to mandate moratoriums on shutoffs in their state, and to require utilities to restore safe service to all households that have been disconnected.

Tell Gov. Ducey to make sure utility services are restored to all households in the safest and most efficient way possible — and to ban future shutoffs during the crisis!

https://on.nrdc.org/3aCiH5U

We must ensure that all families have access to safe water and energy when they need it most. It's a basic human right.

- Mae Wu, Healthy People and Thriving Communities Program, NRDC

CDC website for important tips on how to avoid COVID-19 exposure.

HELPFUL HINT

To conserve water turn off the water while you scrub your hands with the soap for 20 seconds. 😊Then turn on water to rinse. 

https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html

Tell Kroger to provide paid sick leave to employees

Kroger is the largest supermarket chain in the United States. The workers there are doing an amazing job supporting our communities despite this awful coronavirus health crisis. The least Kroger can do is ensure its employees have paid sick leave.

Why is this important? As entire cities and states are seemingly shut down due to the coronavirus we know grocery stores are an essential part of our society. They remain open, but cashiers and workers stocking shelves are among those on the front lines risking their health to support our communities and earn their wages.

Reports have started to come in that Kroger employees are getting sick from the coronavirus. But in the face of increased public criticism, Kroger, a $26 billion corporation, is refusing to provide paid sick leave for employees unless they have tested positive for COVID-19 or are placed in mandatory quarantine by a medical professional. Instead of taking a simple step of letting sick workers simply call in sick Kroger is refusing to use their enormous power to do the right thing for workers.

Shockingly, Kroger's only real attempt to show workers any recognition is offering them a $25 Kroger gift card for their hard work!

These are serious times. We must take action in solidarity with Kroger workers and the millions of customers who will be put at risk if sick workers are showing up sick while trying to earn a pay check.

Kroger runs grocery chains including Ralph's, Harris Teeter, QFC, Smiths, Fred Meyer, and Dillons. They have a presence in all of our communities, and now we need to show up to support the workers who need us.

Sign and share this petition.

https://bit.ly/2X4nVn5

Sources:

1. "White House expresses support for immediate cash payments to Americans as part of coronavirus stimulus package," The Washington Post, March 17, 2020
https://act.moveon.org/go/117487?t=10&akid=260587%2E18315738%2EPwxK4E

2. "Supermarket Sick," Popular Information, March 15, 2020
https://act.moveon.org/go/117457?t=12&akid=260587%2E18315738%2EPwxK4E

3. "Kroger Gives Workers Gift Card Money, Not Paid Leave For All, Amid Coronavirus," HuffPost, March 17, 2020
https://act.moveon.org/go/117458?t=14&akid=260587%2E18315738%2EPwxK4E

You're receiving this petition because we thought it might interest you. It was created on MoveOn.org, where anyone can start their own online petitions. You can start your own petition here.

Halt border wall construction during COVID-19 emergency

Today, the Texas Civil Rights Project sent a letter to the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and Defense demanding that they halt all border wall construction to save lives during the pandemic.  They were joined in this letter by over 100+ groups, spanning environmental, immigration, civil rights, and faith-based organizations among others. See the press release below!

Sign this petition to stop construction now and keep border residents safe from this administration!

Find our petition here.

Find our social media toolkit here to uplift! 

Here's a Facebook post about our letter and tweet you can share right now!

- Robert Lopez.Texas Civil Rights Project

To view this discussion on the web: 

https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/bordercoalition/CA%2BrFpXm4VK_dSvWze6%3D-6xCvAK8tGOeap3QV17mgwDgLmUOmCg%40mail.gmail.com.

More information:

Land possessions continue as Trump declares COVID-19 national emergency

Eminent domain attorneys and advocates demand Administration to stop border wall construction, so landowners can shelter in place

Read the letter here.

Alamo, Tex. – Today, leaders from 109 state and national civil rights, immigration, religious and environmental organizations sent Attorney General William Barr, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf, a letter demanding they halt land possession and construction related to the border wall during the COVID-19 national emergency.

In the last week, the federal government has filed new condemnations and a motion for immediate possession, arguing that they need access to landowners’ property urgently, to send surveyors and contractors to their house in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. In eminent domain cases such as these, the government sues the landowner for rights to their land.

“These takings are directly affecting people’s homes,” said Efrén Olivares, the Legal Director of the Racial and Economic Justice Program at the Texas Civil Rights Project, who represents landowners in the path of the border wall. “These clients live on this land. They want to send contractors to come in and take their homes while we’re supposed to be sheltering in place. It’s unbelievable.”

One of the landowners sued by the government last week is over 70, and another, Nayda Alvarez, has been sick multiple times this year. The Texas Civil Rights Project represents these landowners jointly with the ACLU of Texas.

“There has been no transparency and we have been intimidated by the government to sign over rights to our land,” said Alvarez, a teacher whose family has lived in Starr County for five generations. “We have been talked down to by government officials who think we are not aware of our rights.” Alvarez painted “No Border Wall” on the roof of her house in protest.

“When my mother was on her deathbed, government officials continued to call and were still asking us to sign over our land. I had to remind them that my mother was dying of cancer in order to stop the calls.”

“How can border residents meaningfully and thoughtfully engage in eminent domain processes in a crisis like this?” said Norma Herrera, community organizer for the Rio Grande Valley Equal Voice Network. “They’re taking advantage.”

Nearly 68,500 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed across the country, including 994 fatalities. In many of the counties where border wall construction is ongoing, local governments have issued emergency declarations, in accordance with guidance from federal and state public health authorities, banning gatherings of ten or more individuals. California, for example, is now under statewide orders to “shelter in place” at home.

“In the border communities we represent, these extraordinary actions by the federal government are quite literally endangering the lives of border residents,” said Tricia Cortez, Executive Director of the Rio Grande International Study Center.

“Instead of constructing barriers, the Army Corps of Engineers should use its limited resources to fight the pandemic,” said Vicki B. Gaubeca, Director of the Southern Border Communities Coalition, who are signees of the letter. “Untold lives could be saved if they would hurry and build hospitals or clinics instead.”

Ask AZ Reps to protect citizens during COVID-19 outbreak

I am sharing the following action from Victoria Steele, member of the Arizona State Senate representing District 9.

"I am calling for my Republican colleagues in the Arizona Legislature that in addition to a bare-bones budget, we move to immediately:

Impose a moratorium on rent increases, foreclosures, evictions, and utility shutoffs during the pandemic

Funding to offset out of pocket costs and assist uninsured people in accessing COVID-19 testing

Provide supports for nursing homes and assisted living facilities and the people who are working in those facilities

Make funding easily available to allow sick leave for all public workers who are under quarantine or sick

Supply additional resources for food banks

Extended medication and medical supplies for individuals recommended to self-isolate

Streamline unemployment benefits and TANF applications for those who are laid off

If these things are important to you - please let all of your Legislators know now! Call and email them: www.AZleg.gov "

To find out who your legislator is, first find your district.

https://azredistricting.org/districtlocator/

Use that district to find your Reps:

https://www.azleg.gov/MemberRoster/

Use that district to find your Senator. 

https://www.azleg.gov/MemberRoster/?body=S

More Information:

Why won’t Republicans protect Arizonans from economic disaster? - AZ Mirror