Numerous families will be affected and it will bring devastating circumstances if not addressed immediately.

All of us have added expenses during the Coronavirus Pandemic. No one is immune or exempt. Without added income, we cannot pay our rent, stock up on food and supplies, purchase medication, or pay our bills. It is not just those out of work or who make between $12,500 and $75,000 that are suffering. We need to give *all* residents in our country the best chance at survival we can and reduce the potential impact on our economy and healthcare system by continuing to force people to find work and the means to survive, spreading the virus further and prolonging the impact of the pandemic. If we exempt people from government-provided financial relief, then we are putting their lives at risk. Our goal should be to save as many people as possible. NO POOR PERSON SHOULD BE EXEMPT! We should *all* qualify for the government help we need to survive and thrive.

The NEW YORK CITY working class has been financially crippled by the critical and necessary measures put in place to slow the spread of COVID-19. Though the federal or state government may eventually provide relief, the immediate conservation of our limited financial resources is necessary for our own and our family's health and wellbeing. Rentors, Leasors, banks and other relevant institutions can, as a class seek their own relief; the state and federal government is much more responsive and historically more likely to act on their behalf. With containment of the virus no where in sight, we must be able to protect our limited cash flow immediately.

Like people across the U.S., I have a loved one who is incarcerated in federal prison. We miss him. And with the spread of COVID-19, we worry. Whatever view you have of prisons, no one should be sentenced to die from COVID-19. Our loved one, like other inmates, can't practice COVID-19 safety protocols, such as social distancing, regular hand washing, and rigorous hygiene. He shares a cell that is 7 X 8 feet, with bunk bed and lockers taking up much of that space. In his unit, 130 people share 6 showers, 4 toilets, 4 urinals, and 9 bathroom sinks. When prisoners' risk of exposure increases, so do the risks for staff, who come and go from the prison, and the wider community who interacts with those staff. Financial pressures also increase for families, prisons, the healthcare system, and the economy at large. Because of these credible risks, state and county facilities, as well as correctional institutions in other countries, are reducing their prison populations. It's time for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to do the same. Please tell our U.S. Senators and Representatives to direct the BOP to adopt comprehensive safety protocols immediately. The protocols should release inmates who have limited time remaining on their sentences and have a minimum Recidivism Risk Level assessment; if need be, they could be placed on home confinement via GPS monitoring and could shelter in place. Bringing inmates, like our loved one, home right now would reduce the risks to everyone. It would also bring our family together during this stressful time. In times like these, we need each other. Will you sign this petition and help us all?

We should be just as important to protect. We are out in public and in buildings with many other workers and trade to a point where social distancing is nearly impossible. Also the shortage of PPE is another fact. Whatever is available, companies should keep workers home and donate what they have available to hospitals, etc. If we want to stop the spread, only hospitals, food, and supply stores should remain active at this critical time. Do this and minimize the spread even more. We have families to go home to and we shouldn't be forced to work unless it benefits hospitals, food, or supply stores.

If the health care providers get sick the capacity to deliver medical care collapses and many thousands will die. IMMEDIATE release of supplies is required as hospitals are already facing large numbers of infected patients and are running out of protective equipment. Staff exposures now means loss of health care capacity later when then the patient numbers will be even higher. Releasing equipment after medical care providers have been exposed is too late; then the future loss of medical care providers will be imminent.

It is imperative that we have a common-sense approach that protects we the people and not corporations. In terms of potential deaths and the impact on our economy, the crisis we face from coronavirus is on the scale of a major war, and we must act accordingly. We must begin thinking on a scale comparable to the threat, and make sure that we are protecting working people, low-income people, and the most vulnerable communities, not just giant corporations and Wall Street.

I am a 64 year old Registered Nurse Manager working in an acute care hospital in the state of Washington. I have witnessed a heroic response to this pandemic; front line nurses, patient care technicians, physicians, pharmacists, laboratory techs, imaging personnel, and other licensed staff have reported to work and cared for COVID-19 patients for the past three weeks. We are now running low on personal protective equipment. On my 14 bed unit, three staff members are currently awaiting test results as they have become ill while caring for patients. They are unable to report to work, thus the rest of the staff are overworked - but they are showing up. Management has maintained a 24 hour per day Incident Command Center while continuing to run their units. Most of us have not had a day off in three weeks, yet we continue to report to work because we are committed to caring for our patients. Although we have put all elective surgeries on hold, staff from surgery are now working at each entrance to the hospital, screening every one who enters for their temperature and COVID-19 symptoms. We are making an extraordinary effort to reduce exposure to and transmission of this virus and at this point have received little to no support from the Federal Government. Student loans are regularly forgiven for healthcare workers who agree to work with underserved populations. Those who continue to care for patients in the current healthcare environment are entitled to reward for placing themselves at risk during this unprecedented crisis. Yes, we did commit to provide quality care to the population we serve, however, we did so assuming that our Federal Government would support us by ensuring that we would have adequate supplies to do our jobs without placing our own lives at risk.

The federal government just bailed out financial institutions to the tune of 1.5 TRILLION dollars in an effort to prop up the economy, while leaving suffering workers in the lurch. We’ve been hearing for years that there simply isn’t enough money to provide healthcare, college, and housing as basic human rights, but this massive corporate giveaway proves (just as it did with the 2008 bank bailouts) that the money is there when the 1% and big corporations need it. Due to federal inaction, local governments all over the country are being forced to enact increasingly radical measures to stave off financial disaster for workers and the poor, steps (like the eviction moratorium in Portland) which were previously considered “impossible.”

Spain and its beautiful autonomous region, Catalonia, have many friends throughout the world who are deeply disturbed by the ongoing struggles and now, the heartbreaking medical crisis in Catalonia that is impacting its society and its economy. Many of us look forward to returning to Spain and contributing to its economy and the economy of its unique regions. But Catalonia must first be allowed to address its medical needs and to impose an immediate lock down to stop the spread of coronavirus infection. We ask for your urgent action so that Catalonia can stem the impact of this humanitarian crisis quickly and preserve its vital economy. Thank you for your consideration of this global appeal.

This is urgent: Two members of Congress have tested positive for coronavirus, and several members who came into contact with them are self-quarantining. We need Congress to act NOW before we're left with just Donald Trump in power. Sign the petition: Call on Congress to pass emergency powers to legislate remotely! Any day now, members of Congress could be forced into quarantine, leaving Donald Trump in power with NO congressional oversight.(1) This is not a drill: As the coronavirus pandemic sweeps the country, we’ve never needed Congressional oversight more. Our legislators are the only ones looking out for working people and passing bills to provide health care and economic support, while Trump pumps money into Wall Street and the oil industry. Congress needs to pass emergency legislation NOW to allow lawmakers to vote and deliberate by teleconference. Without it, we will be left in the middle of a pandemic with a full-blown crisis of democracy. Sign the petition: Call on Congress to pass emergency powers to legislate remotely! Although the technology to telecommute and conference remotely has existed for decades, Congress and most state legislatures are behind the times. Congressional rules dictate that legislators must convene in person to pass any legislation, whether during an emergency or not.(2) This is a system designed for failure during the coronavirus pandemic. We’re already seeing the worst-case scenario overseas. 10% of the Iranian Parliament has tested positive for the coronavirus, and two members have died. The European Parliament was forced to shut down in Strasbourg. And in New York, lawmakers have already contracted the virus. Many members of Congress have been exposed.(3) Half of the Senate and one-quarter of the House is over age 65, a risk factor for serious complications or death from coronavirus, and the CDC has recommended gatherings of less than ten people.(4) A quarantine is imminent. The national budget will be up for debate in the summer, and the government will shut down without a new one. Congress needs to pass emergency coronavirus bills and ensure that people are getting the supplies and care they need. And we have an election approaching that we could need to adjust the rules for, like implementing vote-by-mail, if participation is affected by the pandemic. The Supreme Court has already shut down due to the coronavirus outbreak.(5) Without new procedures in place, the country will be left with no legislative branch, either—just Donald Trump and his out-of-control executive orders. The window to preserve our democracy is closing—we have to act now. Sources: 1. Common Dreams, "As Lawmakers Fall Ill, Congress and State Legislatures Must Enact Continuity Plans," March 16, 2020 2. Ibid 3. Ibid 4. Quorum, "How Old is Congress?," accessed March 17, 2020 5. CNBC, "Supreme Court postpones arguments because of coronavirus, citing Spanish flu precedent," March 16, 2020

Sign on to tell Governor Cooper to place a temporary moratorium on the enforcement of eviction orders and to push Congress to do the same nationally. Keep Families safe during this COVID-19 crisis. We are calling on Governor Cooper and Congress to take three immediate actions for housing security during this time of crisis: A national moratorium on evictions. This should include a moratorium on all foreclosures, evictions of both public and private housing, sweeps of houseless people, and utility shutoffs, and restore utility service for all households. A national mortgage and rent holiday. This should cover public and private properties by passing a law reducing rents and mortgage payments to zero for the duration of the crisis, including any fees or interest payments. A national $200 billion dollar Housing Security Fund. This fund should be used to provide: at least $120 billion for rent and mortgage payment assistance for anyone affected by the pandemic; adequate funding for homes and expanded services for people experiencing homelessness; and assistance to families to secure safe housing in this crisis and its aftermath, with payment support to cover applications, first month’s rent, and security deposits. In addition, the federal government must provide immediate cash payments to all people in the United States, immediately, and ensure a just, green transition post-pandemic. See the full set of demands for federal action here. These actions for housing security are essential in our fight to slow the spread of COVID-19. This pandemic has the potential to exponentially increase inequality in America, and if it does it will also worsen the pandemic itself. We need immediate and bold federal action now to ensure all have safe and secure housing through this crisis.