Contact: Johanna Kichton, press@peoplesaction.org, 202.660.0605
WASHINGTON, D.C.—People’s Action today released the following statement by Campaigns Director Sondra Youdelman in response to the Senate approving a $3.5 trillion spending plan:
“We are one step closer to a big, bold, inclusive recovery package that will help bolster all our communities. This bill, combined with the American Rescue Plan and the bipartisan infrastructure plan, will be the most progressive package in history.
“It’s not everything—we need more affordable housing, Medicare for All, and funding for climate action that meets the crisis at hand—but it’s headed in the right direction.
“People’s Action members across the country fought hard for several of the measures in this initial draft, and now they will fight to ensure those wins are preserved and strengthened as the budget reconciliation process moves forward. There is no time to waste, and we cannot let corporations, the ultrarich, and their allies on Capitol Hill derail the critical measures needed by poor and working families.
“We thank Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Budget Committee Chair Bernie Sanders for building out this plan, and the Progressive Caucus members who fought to include strong elements and now demand the Senate pass this bold reconciliation package before the House passes the bipartisan infrastructure bill. Speaker Pelosi should hold strong to her commitment to follow that plan.
“Legislators who are true champions of the people will keep our communities front and center when hashing out the details of this package in committee and keep working until it’s passed. We’re ready to back them at every step.”
###
People’s Action is a national network of 40 state and local grassroots, power-building organizations in 30 states, united in fighting for justice. We operate the largest progressive rural organizing project in the country. People’s Action and its member organizations coordinated one of the biggest distributed organizing programs in rural areas this past election season.