Way to help get the bail out money right!

Thank-you so much to 350 Eastside, 350 Spokane, 350 Wenatchee, 350 Tacoma, and 350 Everett for joining the Pass the Green New Deal Coalition. I thought I would update you on some of the work we’ve been doing, plus ask you to consider writing to your listserves regarding some upcoming activity in Congress.

The Coalition has been meeting monthly, has sent several letters to our Congressional delegation regarding both the ReWind Act (which would prevent Trump from bailing out the fossil fuel industry) and regarding other legislation related to both Covid and climate. We have also met remotely with Representative Smith, and a staff member for Representative Jayapal. Finally, we have begun to study up on GND type legislation that might have a chance at passage when (fingers crossed!) we get a new Congress and president. Once we have chosen some key bills to support, we plan to push for those bills in 2021.

In the meantime, because the next Covid package could contain further fossil fuel bailout money (as occurred in earlier Covid packages), we think it’s worth one more push to our representatives to ask them to support the ReWind Act which would block fossil fuel attempts to exploit a public health crisis for private gain, and ensure COVID recovery efforts go directly to people and essential workers. At the same time, though our focus is on climate, we feel strongly that we must support the millions of workers struggling with unemployment and reduced wages. For this reason we support Representative Pramila Jayapal’s Paycheck Recovery Act, which needs co-sponsors

Below is a suggested message to send to your list serves, if you are so inclined. And feel free to contact me with any questions.

Many thanks,

Selden Prentice

350 Seattle representative to the Pass the Green New Deal Coalition

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As our country continues to struggle with Covid-19 and numbers worsen, Congress needs to hear from us! Congressional representatives are considering a variety of measures, some of which put people and planet first, and others which are corporate giveaways. Particularly worrisome are payments that have already been made to fossil fuel companies, and which could continue. The ReWind Act, however, would prevent such fossil fuel bailouts. Let’s demand that Congress meet the needs of the people, and not corporations by calling our Congressional representatives (find your Representative here) and asking them to:

1. Support and co-sponsor the ReWind Act, which would block fossil fuel attempts to exploit a public health crisis for private gain, and ensure COVID recovery funds go directly to the people and essential workers, not polluters.

2. Support and co-sponsor the Paycheck Recovery Act (HR 6918) which would provide grants to employers of all sizes, including nonprofits and state and local governments, to quickly deliver paychecks to workers and provide additional support to businesses for operation costs.

Thank-you for all you are doing to support people and planet during this difficult time.