On Tuesday, the Senate passed an interim package to provide $484 billion to small businesses and hospitals. The House is expected to vote on the bill tomorrow. Unfortunately, neither the Coronavirus Community Relief Act nor proposals to use funds from the Coronavirus Relief Fund in the CARES Act to offset lost local revenue were included in this legislation. State and local governments will need to wait until the next bill to get financial relief from the federal government.
I want to be clear: Our fight for federal support is NOT OVER.
Even though the interim relief package doesn’t have everything we advocated for, it still provides critical economic support for individuals and smaller financial institutions and provides urgently needed funding for hospitals, healthcare providers, and testing.
We can’t see this as a loss – it’s just another bend in our path toward direct federal support for every city, town and village in America!
I want you to hear it directly from me: You, local leaders, are our heroes. You are on the front lines fighting for your residents. You know what your community needs right now. And you deserve the direct federal support needed to respond to this crisis without going bankrupt.
That is why now is the time to pick up the phone, compose your tweets, and write emails to your Senators and Member of Congress. Make your voice loud and clear: Every municipal government in this nation needs access to direct federal support.
We must get a fourth relief bill passed – and we must make sure that you have the resources and support to execute the response to this pandemic. Now is not the time to sit back and wait – together, we all have a role to play. And together, we will finish this fight.
The National League of Cities is fighting along with you – let’s get this done!
About the Author: Clarence E. Anthony is the CEO & Executive Director of the National League of Cities. Follow him on Twitter: @ceanthony50.