The hypocrisy of Senate Republicans is unbelievable. While our country faced an economic depression resulting from the coronavirus crisis, with small businesses struggling to survive and millions of Americans out of work, Republicans railed against the government offering aid, which they considered excessive government spending. Eventually, Congress did pass coronavirus relief bills, despite the roadblocks put up by the Republican-led Senate—and it also approved the Paycheck Protection Program, a fund to aid small businesses. But guess who actually benefited from the PPP program? Not mom and pop shops across America. And not Black-owned businesses—41% of Black business owners were denied any aid. No. It’s Republican donors and lobbyists who made off with millions and millions of dollars from a program intended to help small businesses, despite rules to prevent federal dollars being used for lobbying or political activities. And now, with the public health crisis getting worse, and no end in sight to the economic suffering of tens of millions, the Republican-led Senate is refusing to take action on legislation to provide real relief for working people. We will no longer allow our political representatives to funnel money to their cronies while we go without. We demand accountability. Republicans in Congress must publicly disclose which of their donors, lobbyists, and allies received funds from the Paycheck Protection Program.

There is no way to keep students, teachers, staff, bus drivers and cafeteria workers safe if they report to school buildings. Until there is 100% assurance that children will not bring COVID-19 home from school, no school buildings should reopen in Florida. Remote instruction is feasible, and in cases where parents cannot handle instruction a tutoring program should be established to ensure that kids can keep learning. This can be accomplished state-wide or district by district. If families do not have computers or internet access, these resources should be provided by the Florida Department of Education, by federal funding, or by community foundations. Reevaluate this position in January 2021 and/or after an effective COVID-19 vaccine has been developed and tested and is widely available.

This is essential to maintain the health of our people and our economy during the corona virus pandemic.

I am an essential worker at a grocery store. Unlike those who have been able to work from home or have been furloughed and collect an extra $600 in unemployment, I have been showing up to work throughout the coronavirus pandemic. I provide an essential service to my community and, as such, should be paid accordingly, especially when I am putting my life at risk each and everyday I work. The risks involved in dealing with large groups of people indoors during a pandemic are high. Also, most essential workers have to travel long distances, many by public transportation, adding to their risk of becoming ill from COVID-19. Many of my fellow coworkers have gotten ill from COVID-19; some have been sick for months. At this time we don't know what long-lasting effects result from COVID-19, although evidence is starting to show even asymptomatic cases can cause lung damage. Aside from the trauma of working during the coronavirus pandemic, many grocery store workers rely on working several jobs at once and many of these jobs in the service industry are no longer available. Most of us live paycheck-to-paycheck, and have no real financial stability when we need it the most. The added stress and anxiety of trying to make ends meet at a time when our hours are being cut and other sources of income are not available takes a huge toll on us mentally and physically. Grocery store workers, truck drivers, doctors, and nurses have been the lifeline for communities, especially during this pandemic. We certainly appreciate all the thanks we have received, but it is time to show real appreciation by providing us with retroactive hazard pay. In this way, we can continue to serve the community knowing we are supported financially during this pandemic. I call on the US Congress to add retroactive hazard pay for essential workers into the new stimulus bill.

Millions of people are out of work or have had their hours cut due to the pandemic. As cases rise in nearly half of the states, more are expected to lose their source of income as bars and restaurants are ordered to close. For those receiving unemployment, many will not be able to make ends meet without the federal $600. The people are at risk of eviction and hunger if the government does not take action immediately. People should not have to choose between working in unsafe conditions or being homeless. There is no vaccine available to us and there is no cure. Ensuring the needs of the people during this crisis should be the government’s number one priority.

We are a volunteer group of Kailua renters and homeowners working in association with Faith Action for Community Equity. We believe housing is a human right, and we are interested in ensuring affordable rentals for our low-income families, seniors and disabled on fixed incomes in Kailua. We believe Kawainui Affordable Rental Project to be a thoughtful and well-designed project. No affordable rentals have been built in Kailua in over 30 years. It is time to work together to provide housing for all of those who make up the fabric of our community. Many people throughout Kailua -- and beyond – have become passionately opposed to the Kawainui project. Most of this opposition is based on misinformation and disinformation. They have become very vocal and organized. We need to get accurate information out into the community. Kawainui Affordable Rentals would consist of 73 units located at the corner of Kawainui St. and Oneawa St., the main street through the commercial district of Kailua. Ninety-five percent of the units would be for local families earning less than $72,300 per year, with monthly rents starting at $521 for 1-bedroom units and $598 for 2-bedroom units, depending on household income. We need your help to: • Counteract Myths with Facts; • Contact family, friends and neighbors in Kailua to support this Affordable Rental Project; • Ask people to email or call their City Council representatives before August 2 when the Zoning Committee meets to recommend this project to the full Council for a vote.

COVID19 numbers on the mainland are higher than they have ever been so we need access to much more accurate and reliable testing to safely welcome tourists back to Hawaii without a quarantine requirement. Also school starts August 4th and welcoming tourism at the same time is dangerous to teachers and students. We don't yet know what the effect of opening schools will be.

So many of us struggle to pay bills, purchase food or medicine, even survival that we solely rely on that extra $600/week! If they take that away how many people how many children how many elderly will be homeless and on the streets?! Unforeseen events have happened causing millions to lose their jobs how can you expect anyone to live off of next to nothing... With schools starting up in September it’s going to be a disaster without that extra $600, no food, no clothes, no school supplies, no gas to bring them to school!! Americans need that money to survive!

At the June 29th University of Michigan Board of Regents Meeting, a budget that includes a 1.9% tuition increase was approved. We believe this increase is unjustified due to the economic hardships caused by the pandemic, coupled with the amount of university courses being held online. Based on 2019-2020 budgets listed on University of Michigan’s Admissions and Costs webpage, the tuition increase would be equivalent to around: $15,853.60 for in-state lower classmen (an increase of $295.60) $17,854.92 for in-state upperclassmen (an increase of $332.92) $52,172.80 for out-of-state lower classmen (an increase of $972.80) $55,835.09 for out-of-state upperclassmen (an increase of $1041.09). These financial shifts are expected to affect most university graduate programs as well. While seemingly small on their own, these additional amounts in tuition are increases in the total budgets to attend the university. In addition to tuition, students will also see an increase in University Health Service fees, housing fees (for those living on campus), and an additional “$50-per-term COVID-19 fee”. With these additional costs, in-state lower and upperclassmen can expect to pay a total of about $31,351 and $33,352 respectively, and out-of-state lower and upperclassmen can expect to pay a total of about $67,670 and $71,333. President Schlissel says the university is “committed to [doing] our very best to make sure that the COVID-19 pandemic does not result in a lost generation of students who were unable to continue or complete their Michigan educations because of the circumstances we all find ourselves in”. An increase in tuition and fees is a direct contradiction to this statement.

In January of 2019, H.R. 40 was introduced to members of Congress. The bill states its purpose is "to establish a commission to study and develop Reparations proposals for African-Americans" and "submit to Congress the results of such examinations." The Committee found that “as a result of the historic and continued discrimination, African-Americans continue to suffer debilitating economic, educational, and health hardships including but not limited to having nearly 1 million black people incarcerated; an employment rate more than twice the current white unemployment rate; and an average of less than 1/16 of the wealth of white families, a disparity which has worsened, not improved over time.” Now, in the wake of a national health crisis that disproportionately affects the Black Community and the continued public slaughter of Black bodies at the hands of law enforcement despite international condemnation, African Americans continue to be left behind economically. The time is now for this country to pay back the Black community for this economic chokehold. Join me in urging members of Congress to move forward with the findings of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee’s Committee to Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans and encourage Congress to demand Reparations for African Americans. Read H.R. 40 here: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/40

Phase 2 is not working. Masks are not being worn. In order to stay safe we must go back to phase 1 and reevaluate how to proceed.

Target has been positioning itself as a champion of its employees--getting public praise for supporting diversity and inclusion and increasing wages and benefits in response to the pandemic. But the truth is that those benefits leave out a shadow workforce of tens of thousands of people, many of whom are Black and Brown women, --who power Target's growing and profitable grocery delivery service, Shipt. Shipt has seen demand increase so much that the company has hired 100,000 people in the last few months to keep up, as the COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed how people shop for groceries. Increasingly, consumers are relying on home delivery services, and home delivery service is a major reason that Target's revenue is up during the pandemic. But shoppers working for Shipt do not get the paid family and medical leave they need to care for a sick family member or recover from extended illness. Even for shoppers who get sick, Shipt only offers 50% sick pay for two weeks if they have a positive COVID-19 test or a mandatory quarantine order. Now, Shipt announced that they’re also cutting pay--in the middle of a pandemic. That’s why Shipt shoppers announced that on Wednesday, July 15, they’re going on strike. UltraViolet and PL+US (Paid Leave for the United States) are working together to demand that Target do better. If enough people speak up, we can pressure Target to ensure that Shipt shoppers get the same paid family and medical leave benefits that Target employees receive. Will you sign the petition?