NETWORK Applauds House for Responding to Needs of Families and Workers

For Immediate Release: May 15, 2020
Contact: Colleen Ross, cross@networklobby.org, 202-601-7877
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NETWORK Applauds House for Responding to Needs of Families and Workers
Sr. Simone: “No legislation can save us from the COVID-19 pandemic, but the HEROES Act will lighten the burden  for many people.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives passed the HEROES Act (H.R. 6800) in a further attempt to meet the unparalleled suffering and devastation brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice applauds this vote for responding to both the scale and urgency of this disaster, and urges the Senate to take action quickly to give families and workers more relief.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a moral challenge and our nation’s response will reveal our values. Now is not the time for denial or indifference. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell must act quickly to pass corresponding legislation in the Senate, so that financial assistance reaches families before it’s too late.

NETWORK supports this vote because we know that for each of us to be safe, everyone must have access to health care. We know that the vast majority of people in the United States are one paycheck away from economic hardship. We know that essential workers need the appropriate protection and equipment to do their jobs and stay healthy. We know that we have a sacred call to feed people who are hungry, shelter people without homes, and care for people in prison. The HEROES Act enables us to do just that for our neighbors. Finally, this bill protects the right to vote, which is essential to the survival of our democracy.

Sister Simone Campbell, SSS, Executive Director of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice said:

“No legislation can save us from the COVID-19 pandemic but the HEROES Act will lighten the burden for many. Families across the country are facing empty cupboards, grieving the deaths of friends and loved ones, and expecting many more months of unemployment.

“Our federal policies should serve the common good at all times. In the midst of this pandemic, it is even more crucial that our policies respond to the current reality. By providing cash payments, health care, housing and nutrition assistance, extending unemployment insurance and expanding paid leave, the House of Representatives today demonstrated that they understand what people are going through.

“This legislation is a solid response to the suffering of our nation. Now the Senate must take up these same concerns and respond to the needs of our people.“

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NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice – advocates for justice inspired by Catholic Sisters – educates, organizes, and lobbies for economic and social transformation. They have a nearly 50-year track record of lobbying for critical federal programs that support those at the margins and prioritize the common good. www.networklobby.org