COVID RELIEF MAY PASS WITHOUT A LIABILITY SHIELD
Jump to today’s actions:
Background
It appears Majority Leader McConnell finally caved and pulled the corporate liability shield from the COVID relief package. If he remains majority leader after the GA run-offs, he will likely try again to pass the liability shield and:
Harm people for years to come by rolling back civil rights, workers’ rights, and disability protections.
Create COVID-spreading events at nursing homes, food processing plants, farms, etc.
Democrats agreed to defer relief for state and local governments to stop the liability shield. Sadly, they traded one harm for another:
State, local, and tribal governments are facing a $450-$650b shortfalls, yet they still pay the salaries of firefighters, EMTS, teachers, sanitation workers, and public transportation workers.
More unemployed people mean more people on Medicaid.
Schools in use must be cleaner. Employees and students need PPE. Online learning requires computers and software on a mass scale.
Why did Republicans insist on this swap? Why do they want to hurt their own vulnerable constituents while shielding their corporate donors' malfeasance? And why would they need anything in return for giving up liability shield that would further spread the pandemic?
We made our voices heard, and Democrats saved us from GOP greed.
1. Call the Senate.
Script Oregon Senators
SEN. MERKLEY: Portland office: 503-326-3386 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753
My name is [--] and I'm a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Thank you for opposing McConnell's liability shield for employers in the next COVID package. This bill would have led to countless super-spreader events at worksites for years to come. Think how much longer we all would be living with the pandemic. I know there is still a lot of work to do, but for now, I just want to appreciate your success. Thank you.
SEN. WYDEN: Portland office: 503-326-7525 | D.C. office: 202-224-5244
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Thank you for opposing McConnell's liability shield for employers in the next COVID package. This bill would have led to countless super-spreader events at worksites for years to come. Think how much longer we all would be living with the pandemic. I know there is still a lot of work to do, but for now, I just want to appreciate your success. Thank you.
Script for Republican Senators
D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].
McConnell will not get his liability shield for employers. The natural tendency toward greed will still have some checks in place. Think of all the nursing home residents, meat processing plants and farmworkers in our state whose lives will be saved. With fewer COVID-spreading events, we can stop the virus sooner. I hope you are secretly relieved.
2. Call the House.
Script for Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)
Oregon office: 503-469-6010 | DC office: 202-225-0855
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Thank you for opposing McConnell's liability shield for employers in the next COVID package. This bill would have led to countless Covid-spreading events at worksites for years to come. Imagine how much longer we all would be living with the pandemic. I know there is still a lot of work to do, but for now, I just want to appreciate your success. Thank you.
Script for Greg Walden (OR-02)
Medford office: 541-776-4646 | DC office: 202-225-6730
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
McConnell will not get his liability shield for employers. The natural tendency toward greed will still have some checks in place. Think of all the nursing home residents, meat processing plants and farmworkers in OR-2 whose lives will be saved. With fewer super-spreader events, we can stop the virus sooner. I hope you are secretly relieved.
Script for Earl Blumenauer (OR-03)
Oregon office: 503-231-2300 | DC office: 202-225-4811
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Thank you for opposing McConnell's liability shield for employers in the next COVID package. This bill would have led to countless Covid-spreading events at worksites for years to come. Imagine how much longer we all would be living with the pandemic. I know there is still a lot of work to do, but for now, I just want to appreciate your success. Thank you.
Script for Peter DeFazio (OR-04)
Eugene office: 541-465-6732 | DC office: 202-225-6416
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Thank you for opposing McConnell's liability shield for employers in the next COVID package. This bill would have led to countless Covid-spreading events at worksites for years to come. Imagine how much longer we all would be living with the pandemic. I know there is still a lot of work to do, but for now, I just want to appreciate your success. Thank you.
Script for Kurt Schrader (OR-05)
Salem office: 503-588-9100 | DC office: 202-225-5711
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Thank you for opposing McConnell's liability shield for employers in the next COVID package. This bill would have led to countless Covid-spreading events at worksites for years to come. Imagine how much longer we all would be living with the pandemic. I know there is still a lot of work to do, but for now, I just want to appreciate your success. Thank you.
3. Save the Senate: GA Run-Offs in January.
Georgia on your mind? We know you're excited to get to work on the upcoming Senate elections in Georgia.
Indivisible Oregon is partnering with Swing Left to write letters and with Reclaim Our Vote to make phone calls. (Reclaim Our Vote postcards are finished, but they are ow making crucial calls to Georgia voters in rural areas who are likely to have been disenfranchised.). Go to https://www.indivisibleor.org/events for information about how to join with us.
Also, those on the ground in Georgia need money. You can donate to:
GA SENATE CAMPAIGNS, which will distribute your contribution among the two Senate campaigns and Fair Fight: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/georgiasenate
RECLAIM OUR VOTE, which is reaching hard-to-reach voters in rural Georgia: https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/reclaim-our-vote-preparing-for-2020-fundraising-campaign/
RAPHAEL WARNOCK CAMPAIGN: https://warnockforgeorgia.com/
JON OSSOFF CAMPAIGN: https://electjon.com/
FAIR FIGHT GEORGIA SENATE https://GASenate.com
4. Sources
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/16/congress-deal-covid-relief-446244
How bad is the corporate liability shield?
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/12/what-is-mitch-mcconnells-covid-19-liability-shield.html
Why state and local governments need help.
