Once the worst of the pandemic is over and it is considered safe to travel, there will be a tremendous backlog of people applying for passports and renewals. This will hurt the travel industry even more than it is hurting right now, not only here, but all over the world. Also, many people have to travel on business. Many of them can't work remotely.

DEMOCRACY: We are in the middle of a Democratic Primary. 27 states have not yet voted 43% of delegates are still available COVID-19: We are living in an unprecedented time where a global pandemic is testing the nation and revealing the deep flaws in our system. Record-breaking numbers of people are applying for unemployment. Millions are losing their jobs and their employment-tied healthcare. Millions are at risk of being evicted. This is the precise time for people to have a voice in how America should move forward beyond this world-changing crisis. Regardless of the path we take, life as we know it will fundamentally change. PATH FORWARD: We still have a choice. Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders have very different visions for how to proceed through this crisis. Let the American people hear them and make this very important decision before the remaining states cast their votes. Give us the debate we deserve.

Small businesses are the engine of our economy. In many communities small businesses are the largest employer and the lifeblood of the community. We create meaningful jobs and opportunities for entrepreneurs to thrive. By unilaterally requiring that your small business clients have pre-existing lending relationships with Bank of America you are putting up unnecessary roadblocks to saving jobs and saving communities from devastation. Worse, this practice may even be discriminatory, as it may impact black, Latino, Asian, and Native American business owners disproportionately, who are more likely to have been denied access loans due to historic and current red-lining practices and institutional racism. The Paycheck Protection Program was designed to provide forgivable loans to Small Businesses to keep people employed during this time of emergency. In determining clients of Bank of America's eligibility for these lifeline loans, you have instituted an unnecessary pre-existing lending client requirement that is preventing many desperate smaller businesses and nonprofits from even applying for PPP. We all need to come together at times like this, not put up barriers to resources. You have the power to eliminate this arbitrary requirement and we ask you to step in and address this issue with the urgency the present emergency demands.

Like most kinds of porn, inspiration porn is exploitative, unrealistic and harmful for disabled people. Imagery of individuals "overcoming" the disabled body serves only to de-value those of us who cannot for the enjoyment of those who never had to. This is particularly gross given that this imagery is being used to increase shareholder profits for Hyundai, a global corporation that did $91 billion in sales last year. In the time of COVID-19 this also means a very real chance of disabled people being denied life-saving treatment because of the mere perception that their lives are less valuable than a “healthier” person.

Health care and other essential service workers have become sick and some may die over the lack of preparedness, even though these masks were changing hands and flying back and forth between countries since January of 2020

This week, Politico reported that there is “contentious debate” over whether or not companies should be allowed to use taxpayer money from the relief funds to lobby Congress. This is utterly absurd. Any companies receiving federal relief money must be banned from using it to lobby Congress. The lack of a strict ban on using relief funds to lobby Congress was a gaping hole in the original stimulus. Congress must act urgently to close this loophole. Source: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-influence/2020/04/01/corporate-america-might-need-more-money-from-congress-786576

The class of 2020 has nothing to look forward to with school being cancelled. I want them to still be able to atleast walk across the stage and receive their diplomas in recognition of their hard work just as the previous classes before them did it also. We shouldn’t just sit down and take this slap in the face as this pandemic will past in due time. It may not affect directly you, but put yourself in their shoes the 1st class ever to have their senior year canceled stripped of everything they have been working toward for all 4 years. We’ve already had our our fun of highschool and moved on it’s a one time experience all should have so why excluded our next generation of successors. I for one say this should be treated as a top class emergency in efforts to save the class of 2020. All those who would love to help spread this and raise awareness your effort are greatly appreciated.

UBER and Lyft drivers are on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic, shuttling people back and forth who still need to go to work and get groceries. But UBER and Lyft have yet to extend protections their drivers can actually take, including sick days and paid leave. And these companies aren’t providing the drivers who do want to keep working with adequate sanitary supplies. That means drivers might feel forced to work when they feel ill, or when their family members are sick and need care. These drivers are taking care of us during this pandemic, and the companies they work for need to take care of them by providing critical benefits that protect them, their families, passengers, and communities.

Big Pharma companies are already trying to profit from drugs to treat or prevent coronavirus infection -- and we need your help to stop them. Last week Gilead Sciences was caught attempting to get exclusive rights to one drug that has shown promise in treating covid-19. Under intense public pressure they backed off, but they and other Pharma companies still have the ability to raise the price high and gouge everyone for desperately needed medicine. Under a federal law known as Section 1498, the government can override a patent at any time as long as the company receives "reasonable compensation." This gives the government critical leverage to negotiate lower prices. And the government could even start producing lifesaving treatments itself under the Defense Production Act. Will you help use that leverage to save lives and stop Big Pharma from gouging people?

1099 business have been literally tossed by the wayside and ignored. We have needs, responsibilities, families and obligations, just as any other business in Maryland and we should not be treated, as if we do not matter, when we still pay taxes. Business taxes, personal property taxes, sales taxes, bottle taxes., etc.Our rents and mortgages on our businesses are due, just like every other business in Maryland and it's time we stop being ignored.

I am the father of two kids under 6 and husband to a tenure-track professor at The College of New Jersey. On Friday, March 27th, in the middle of a global pandemic of COVID-19, my wife went to get the groceries we need at the Wegmans in Nassau Park Pavilion located in West Windsor Township in order for us to continue to shelter at home until it is safe to end social distancing. It was a shocking experience. Wegmans had very few COVID-19 precautions in place. There were no limits on the number of people entering the store. There were no ways to sanitize the shopping carts. Workers were not wearing protective gloves or masks, nor were they practicing social distancing except at check-out. No one else in the store was practicing social distancing. This is an immediate health risk to both customers AND workers. There is no excuse for this. Other stores are doing this right now. The West Windsor Trader Joe's is doing everything Wegmans is not. They limit the number of people in the store at any one time. They sanitize the carts. They enforce social distancing. And it's not just Trader Joe's. Other Wegmans stores in the chain ARE taking these measures. At least one store in Northern Virginia is also taking all the measures described above. Tell the General Manager of the Nassau Park Pavilion Wegmans to immediately implement all COVID-19 safety measures including limiting customers, sanitizing carts and check-out lanes, providing protective equipment for workers, and enforcing social distancing throughout the store, especially during re-stocking. Tell the Health Officers for West Windsor and Mercer County New Jersey to immediately order this Wegmans store to implement these health measures. UPDATE April 2, 2020: I want to be clear that Wegmans corporate guidelines for COVID-19 are very clear and very good, including a number of actions around pay and sick days that prioritize their employees' well-being. But how the social distancing and sanitizing guidelines are being implemented on the ground leaves a lot to be desired. On this point, Trader Joe's is a model. Wegmans' Princeton store can and should do better in meeting their responsibilities in this moment. You can see what Wegmans corporate guidelines are here: https://www.wegmans.com/news-media/press-releases/wegmans-response-to-covid-19-2/

Recently, the Health Care Authority has temporarily allowed interpreters who cover Medicaid interpreting appointments to work from home while being compensated at their current rate of pay during this COVID-19 situation. On the other hand, L&I has chosen to require medical and vocational providers to only use pre-approved vendors in the Department of Enterprise Services (DES) contract when needing interpreters over the phone. This includes companies like Language Link, and Lionbridge. This is causing extreme hardship to independent interpreters who cover face to face L&I appointments, being obligated to remain at home without any means to support their families. If the HCA was able to quickly find a solution for their interpreters, why can't Labor & industries? As this COVID-19 situation develops, we need to do whatever it takes to help our economy. Please join us and ask the Department of Labor and Industries to do what's right for the majority of workers which are independent interpreters, not just a few companies. While we are at home and staying healthy, we shouldn't be worried that L&I will give our jobs to out of state companies.