The House passed H.R.266, the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, appropriating $484 billion to alleviate the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. The package includes $310 billion to the Paycheck Protection Program, which will provide loans to small businesses. It also funds billions in disaster relief loans and grants, provides aid hospitals, and boosts coronavirus testing. ​

Join us and our Faithful Democracy coalition partners on Wednesday April 29th at 12pm EST to hear how the faith community is mobilizing to ensure that the 2020 primary and general elections are safe and fair in the context of COVID 19.  Crucial issues of voting rights, public health and election security are emerging as key to any Get Out the Vote efforts. Planning and preparations are needed now at the federal, state and local levels to protect our democracy during this pandemic. 
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• Rev. Traci Blackmon of the United Church of Christ will share what’s at stake for voting rights and communities of color. 
• Hear about the cautionary tale of Wisconsin’s recent primary election from Rabbi Bonnie Margulis, Executive Director of Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice. 
• Learn what leadership and funding is needed from the federal government to keep our democracy fair, safe and resilient in the face of the coronavirus. 
• Find out what YOU can do as a person of faith and an advocate.

Register in advance for this webinar: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_H1zcwZL6RgaJp0uFmT7p4g
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Faithful Democracy is a multifaith coalition of faith-based organizations, houses of worship and congregations working together for a just and representative democracy.

Poligon and several advocacy groups sent a letter urging Congress to ensure all families, including immigrants, have access to COVID-19 relief aid.

Poligon and other advocacy groups sent a letter to Congress in support of nondiscrimination language in all COVID-19 policy. The letter called on Congress to include - All COVID-19 response legislation must include language prohibiting discrimination by recipients of federal funds on any basis other than need or eligibility, such as (but not limited to) age, disability, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), race, color, national origin, or religion.

Poligon and over 111 advocacy groups sent a letter to Members of Congress  sharing our economic security priorities for future COVID-19 legislation.

Our key principles and specific policy proposals, detailed in the attached letter, fall into the following areas:

1. Overarching principles for coronavirus response
2. Ensuring access to quality health care for all people in America, including targeted relief for those most impacted
3. Protecting the livelihoods of the most vulnerable working people in our nation
4. Keeping people in homes, safeguarding their financial health, and protecting people who are homeless
   
5. Providing assistance with basic living standards VI. Stimulating the economy and investing in our future 

Poligon and other advocacy groups sent a letter calling on Congress to denounce the continued increase in racist attacks and discrimination against the Asian American community. And to support the bill H.Res 908 which calls on public officials to condemn and denounce anti-Asian sentiment, racism, etc related to COVID-19.

Poligon endorsed Representative Ilhan Omar's bill, the SNAP Online Purchasing Flexibility Act. The bill aims to require the Secretary of Agriculture to allow all states that meet the necessary requirements to participate in the online purchasing program by allowing approved retail food stores to accept online transactions of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)  benefits. The bill would allow USDA to expand it's existing SNAP online purchasing  pilot program from 8 states to all states. 

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