The ProsperUS Coalition Applauds House Passage of the American Rescue Plan as Important First Step, Urges Swift Action on Next Steps

Groups to Congressional leaders: “We are ready to work with lawmakers to get the down payment of the American Rescue Plan to the people, and urge immediate next steps on bold, equitable public investments."

Washington, DC – Today, ProsperUS, a coalition of more than 70 major progressive labor, grassroots, movement, faith-based, and policy organizations at the state, local, and national levels, released the following statement in response to the House passage of the American Rescue Plan:

The American Rescue Plan is an important first step in addressing the immediate economic pain of the pandemic and recession. We urge the U.S. Senate to move quickly to pass it and strongly oppose any and all efforts to water it down or reduce it. 

Congress and the Biden Administration must deliver this down payment to millions of devastated workers and families in communities across the country. Economic experts agree the package will help create jobs, lift people out of poverty, and keep our economy afloat through this historic crisis. Policymakers must then immediately turn to addressing long-standing and persistent crises like climate change, racial and gender injustice, and inequality with massive, equitable public investments. 

We have been disappointed to see some policymakers fight back against attempts to respond at the level that this crisis demands, and stunned at their failure to hear the desperate demands for help from millions of unemployed workers, families in poverty, people without caregiving support, frontline workers, and others who want swift action that meets the moment. Our organizations—and the workers, families, communities, organizers, advocates, and experts we represent—demand no such equivocation on further investment. 

Decades of disinvestment and our failures to respond adequately to the Great Recession led us to the current, historic pains being felt across the country, most acutely by Black and brown families, women, disabled people, immigrants, and other marginalized people. We urge you to embrace bold ideas reflecting the best economics, commit the public resources needed to implement them, and deliver the leadership people urgently need and deserve to realize the future they want.

We are ready to work with lawmakers to get the down payment of the American Rescue Plan to the people, and urge immediate next steps on bold, equitable public investments to build a stronger, more sustainable economy that can deliver what workers, families, and communities need.

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ProsperUS is a coalition of more than 70 organizations advocating with one voice for large scale, equitable government investments. The coalition will make a coordinated push for bold and speedy action to invest in people and get the economy back on track in the face of the current COVID-19 crisis, and ensure government at all levels hear the demands of the people and fearlessly commit public resources to defeat the challenges we face with bold ideas. You can see the full list of coalition members here.

ProsperUS Statement of Principles:

The economic consensus is clear: the best hope for our economy to recover from this historic crisis is massive public investment to create jobs, raise wages, and keep people out of poverty. ProsperUS is fighting for our government to invest in a healthy, thriving economy and peoples’ economic security to end this crisis and to build healthier communities and a stronger economy for the long-term. 

Significant, equitable public investment is the only way to end the COVID-induced recession and rescue millions of families from economic ruin. It is key to addressing the harms government action and inaction have inflicted on workers, families, and communities, particularly Black and brown people, immigrants, disabled people, women, and other marginalized people. In the face of rising authoritarianism, climate change, historic unemployment, and other daunting challenges, we can build trust in government by acting now to help people who are hurting. And it is the only way to restructure the economy and public institutions so that they address peoples’ needs and include all people in an authentic democracy.

We believe:

• Bold, equitable public investment will build a stronger, more sustainable economy that works for all of us.

• Significant public investment is essential to address racial and gender disparities that long-preceded this economic crisis but are being dramatically exacerbated by COVID-19 and this recession.

• Government spending that prioritizes people’s needs is popular. People want government to use the tools it has, including public spending, to make their lives better and they will not be placated with hand wringing about cost or fear mongering about debt when helping them now will strengthen the economy. 

• Effective, smart governing government spending can help people achieve the security, peace of mind, health, and wellbeing they deserve, and our leaders must prioritize those investments now.