Day of Action spotlights lack of leadership in Senate, White House

WASHINGTON — Democratic members of Congress held virtual and in-person events in their districts today as part of a “Day of Action for the Children,” which provided an opportunity to hear from their constituents about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children. The events also shined a light on the urgent need for passage of the HEROES Act, which has been stalled by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell since May 2020.

The following statement can be attributed to NEA President Becky Pringle, who took the reins of the 3 million-member National Education Association on Sept. 1:

“Educators have been creative, collaborative and committed in tackling the colossal challenge of starting a school year in the midst of a deadly pandemic. Yet nearly four months after the House of Representatives passed the HEROES Act, Congress is still nowhere closer to passing real coronavirus relief for the millions of Americans who have been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s because Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has chosen inaction and the Senate GOP has remained in disarray. The lack of Senate leadership has been on par with the failures coming out of the White House as President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos have proven — once again — they have no real plan to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, the ensuing economic crisis, or the shutdown of school buildings and college campuses that are too unsafe for in-person learning. Their failures have cost lives.

“This pandemic has exposed and exacerbated the inequalities in our society while taking a disproportionately devastating toll on low-income Americans, communities of color, and our most vulnerable student populations. Yet, the Trump administration has refused to do anything about these disparities. Personal protective equipment does not pay for itself. Testing and contact tracing programs do not magically appear. An economy does not rebound without the necessary tools and resources from the federal government. Along with the 3 million educators of the National Education Association, I have a message for McConnell, his GOP enablers and the White House who have chosen politics over people during some of America’s darkest days: Do your job, quit playing politics, start real negotiations and pass legislation that isn’t full of callous catches, caveats and carve outs. Educators are watching; we will remember in November who stood up for students and educators and who did not.”

• More resources are available at www.nea.org/covidaction
• Follow on twitter at @NEAmedia and @BeckyPringle
• Keep up with the conversation on social media at #WeRiseTogether

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org.