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Here’s why we need Congress to act quickly to pass a COVID-19 relief package: Indivisibles,
We don’t need to remind you that it’s been eight months since the Senate passed a COVID-19 relief bill. No matter where you live, it’s likely you’ve felt the repercussions of the Senate’s failure to act: most kids have missed out on nearly an entire year of being in the classroom; millions of business owners have been forced to permanently close their doors; hospitals and testing sites are overwhelmed by the surge in cases; more than 14.8 million people in the United States have been infected and at least 282,300 have died. And worst of all, this outcome could have been avoided.
With the holidays rapidly approaching, so are the deadlines to pass critical relief. The pandemic isn’t waiting, and neither should your senators. Unless Congress acts to pass a COVID-19 relief bill in the next few days, 12 million people will lose unemployment insurance benefits the day after Christmas. Shortly after that, federal protections against evictions are set to expire, putting an estimated 30-40 million people at risk of being evicted. As cases rise, states and cities are struggling to maintain essential services like schools and testing sites without more support.
Relief can’t wait. Take action now by calling your senators to demand they pass a COVID-19 relief bill:
It’s telling that Mitch McConnell has hinged the possibility of a relief package on protecting corporations and his mega-donors. Meaningful relief for Americans does not include extending immunity for corporations that violate public health guidelines -- like at a Tyson meatpacking facility where managers placed bets on how many workers would contract COVID-19. By protecting corporations and not people, this provision shifts the burden of the pandemic on to people working in-person who face constant exposure to the virus in order to make a living. What is more, these “essential” workers are largely Black or people of color who are already at increased risk of COVID-19 infection and related complications. Human welfare can’t be reduced to a dollar amount -- corporate immunity stands in direct contrast with protecting the health and safety of Americans. Here's a letter we joined along with 140+ groups to demand that Congress oppose any provision that provides businesses with immunity from COVID-related lawsuits.
With that, here are your weekly to-dos:
Your weekly to-dos
- Call your senators to demand they pass a COVID-19 relief bill. There's no time to waste on getting a meaningful COVID-19 relief package through Congress and to the American people. We need to expand the programs set to expire, provide money to state and local governments, invest in necessary public health measures, and so much more.
- Review this list of actions you can take to impact the results of the Georgia runoffs. With less than a month until the GA runoff elections, we need you to do everything you can to deliver these wins. Whether it's writing letters or making calls (in English or Spanish!), there are plenty of opportunities to reach voters in the next few weeks. Can’t volunteer but still want to make an impact? Donate to support our plans in Georgia and all our work.
- Read and share this summary of our priorities for the final weeks of 2020. We’ve got plans for this transition period between now and Inauguration Day -- including helping Democrats regain full control of both chambers of Congress. We know we’re keeping control of the House, but we won’t know the Senate’s makeup until after the Georgia runoff elections in January 2021. There’s a lot of uncertainty right now, but we’ve got lots of goals to finish the year strong.
- Learn about how a progressive voting bloc in Congress can equal big wins. Progressives hold a significant portion of the total Democratic seats in the House, including some exciting progressive freshman. In order to pass legislation, Democratic leadership needs the support of as many of their members as possible and can only afford to lose a few members. One important way House progressives can grow and use their power is through a voting bloc -- by executing a voting bloc strategically, they can force leadership to listen to their demands and win key victories.
- Thank your progressive member of Congress. This letter template can be the first of many conversations with your member of Congress that thanks them for the work they’ve done and encourages them to pass bold, progressive legislation.
2020 Update
Georgia will recertify presidential election results after completing its second recount. Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced today that, after counting ballots three times (one standard count plus two recounts), the results remain unchanged: Joe Biden won Georgia by roughly 12,000 votes. The state will recertify their results just in time -- tomorrow is the “safe harbor” deadline, which provides states 35 days to resolve disputes and certify election results. Meeting the deadline guarantees a state’s choice of Electoral College representatives.
Currently, Joe Biden has 288 certified electoral votes (which includes Georgia’s 16 electoral votes) out of the 306 he’s expected to secure after all states have certified their results. Certified results from Hawaii (4 votes), Missouri (10 votes), and New Jersey (14 votes) are still outstanding, with electors from Hawaii and New Jersey expected to vote for Joe Biden, making up the final 18 electoral votes for the president-elect.
Here are a few key dates to look out for:
- December 8: certification deadline for Missouri, New Jersey
- December 8: Safe Harbor Deadline
- December 14: Electoral College Meets
National Events
Forward to 51: A DC Vote Celebration with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Ambassador Susan Rice, Mayor Muriel Bowser, and Chef José Andrés!
On June 26, 2020, a D.C. Statehood bill passed the House for the first time ever. The road to adding a 51st state has never been more clear. Join us for an hour of celebrating our success, honoring our champions, and fueling our passion for statehood.
Date: TOMORROW, Tuesday, December 8, at 7 pm EST -- Register here.
Georgia GOTV Call-a-Thon with special guest -- Alyssa Milano!
Join Indivisibles and activist Alyssa Milano to call Georgia voters in the final hours before the runoff election. By talking to these voters directly, you’ll have a chance to empower them to turn out to help push Warnock and Ossoff across the finish line.
Date: January 4, 2021, at 6 pm EST -- Register here.
We also want to point out our recently updated events map! Use it to find virtual or in-person events happening all through next year.
The People Lead Brainstorming Sessions
We're organizing nationwide events on January 13 to send a loud message that we expect Congress to listen to the people. Join us and group leaders in similar congressional districts to discuss our agenda for 2021 and learn how to make your event safe and effective.
Dates: TOMORROW, December 8 at 8:30 pm EST -- Register here.
December 9 at 8:30 pm EST -- Register here.
December 10 at 8:30 pm EST -- Register here.
Getting Media Ready for 2021
Ask questions and workshop ideas about using local media to your advantage.
December 17 at 8:30 pm EST -- Register here.
This is why we fight
And now, for a win: DACA is back!
On Friday, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to restore the DACA program back to its original form. This reopens eligibility for as many as 300,000 first time applicants and extends protections for existing recipients for two years. President-elect Biden has long-pledged to reinstate DACA but this ruling is effective immediately. We’ll remain vigilant of other challenges to the program ahead of inauguration day, but this is a victory we all deserve to celebrate.
In solidarity,
Indivisible Team 
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