By Dr. Carmen Schaye, NWPC Vice President of Diversity
Since the Coronavirus outbreak began in December, life has changed dramatically for hundreds of millions of people around the globe. Societies in the UK, Europe, and the US (among others) have largely shut down and people have been advised to avoid contact, where possible. Economically this has been disastrous: in the US alone the stock market has crashed over 40%, setting all sorts of unwelcome records along the way.
With restrictions surrounding the virus likely to be in place for months, these economic woes look likely to continue. With working either expressly forbade or impossible, millions of Americans will need government support. One would think such support, in such extraordinary times, would be easily granted. These days, however, even pandemic relief can be politicized. Republicans in Congress have balked at Democratic demands for paid sick leave and free virus testing, regardless of insurance. To Republican legislators, for whom the term “socialism” inspires panic, the idea of giving ground on socialized healthcare, even in these desperate times, is problematic. If there is to be any movement, it must be by force of public opinion.
Enter Democratic Congresswoman Katie Porter, of California. Porter is a freshman Congresswoman (elected November 2019) and the first Democrat to be elected in California’s mostly conservative 45th district. Porter’s stellar performance in Congress, questioned members of the administration about Coronavirus testing. Porter’s background as a professor of law was evident as she, in roughly five minutes of questioning, secured a commitment to free testing for all from CDC chairman, Dr. Robert Redfield. Having begun by demonstrating the great cost of full Coronavirus screening and testing for an uninsured person, Porter then turned her attention to questioning Dr. Redfield on how he proposed to obtain widespread testing and accurate infection figures. After being relentlessly pressed for an answer, he finally committed to free virus screening.
While it is pleasing to see politicians and administrators having their feet held to the fire on vital issues, rarely does it yield such instant results. Her point was both simple and persuasive: to contain the virus and put a stop to economic panic, we must know and trust, both the figures relating to how many people are infected and the rate of increase of infection. Furthermore, we must be assured that those people are being effectively quarantined. According to the Congresswoman, 40% of Americans cannot afford an unforeseen expense of $400.00 for testing. Coupled with the cost of testing, treatment, job furloughs, or layoffs would deter a significant number of people from getting the treatment they need. This could compound the effects of the disease and impair containment.
Senate Republicans originally crafted the stimulus package which put corporations ahead of workers. The Senate bill proposed to assist broad groups of distressed companies and add an additional $75 billion to provide industry loans. Whereas it is important to assist corporations and big business there are not sufficient provisions in which there would be a requirement for government and industry transparency or measures in which corporations would use the funds to enrich themselves on government money and subsequently lay off workers. Basically, corporate welfare at the expense of American workers. Democrats initially took issue with the package, which resulted in partisan tension over the legislation and Senate Democrats on March 23 blocked the two procedural votes necessary to move ahead. The setback hastened efforts to find a consensus.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi negotiated an unprecedented final 2.3 trillion-dollar national stimulus package which will include 14 days of paid sick leave and codify free testing into law. Phase 3 of the stimulus package also includes checks to households of $1200 for those who make less than $75,000 per yr., bailouts for airlines and other distressed industries, and loans and grants for small businesses. Senator Patty Murray insisted on student loan payment deferment in which student loan borrowers will be able to pause paying their federal student loan payments without penalty for the next six months and the government will automatically suspend payment without the need for student borrower request. In addition, there was a requirement that there would be government oversight as a condition for the Phase 3 Stimulus. All will receive $1200 including those receiving Social Security and other government benefits (which is important for women since more older women are on social security). The bill will cost the country in excess of $2.3 trillion and include direct payments to working families. The measure is, according to The Washington Post, “The largest economic rescue bill in history.” With JP Morgan Chase estimating that the economy could shrink by 14% between April and June.
This week, the nation’s workforce filed for a record-breaking 3.3 million claims for unemployment benefits. This surpassed the previous week’s numbers and the largest number ever recorded since 1982. This reflects desperate times and desperate measures. According to St. Louis Federal projections (March 30, 2020), Coronavirus employment reductions are expected to be 47 million which is a total of 32.1% unemployed. This surpasses the highest unemployment rate during the Great Depression.
The Coronavirus pandemic is spreading globally and in the United States. As of March 23, 2020, more than 41,700 cases were reported in the US and more than 500 deaths. By the end of the week of March 29 (1 week later) the infected numbers spiked to 137,000 cases and 2200 deaths. At least 3 members of Congress have tested positive with the disease and many are participating in self-quarantine.
Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers stated that “this as a seizure of economic time, while financial time rolls on.” ”We are at a precipice where the world’s pandemic could force a national economic plunge. A financial recess is comforting but bills and wages must be paid and debts, and credit cards must be honored. If they are abandoned—through defaults, bankruptcy and layoffs—the eventual recovery will be longer and more difficult after this crisis ends. The U.S. government must realign economic and financial time immediately: Every day missed will cause damage that will be increasingly difficult to undo”.
Policymakers and economists’ question whether the Phase 3 Stimulus is enough to keep America from a financial catastrophe. Now there is talk of a Phase 4 Stimulus as the Corona Virus progresses and there is no vaccine or cure for those who are very ill.
On the 100th Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage, we must salute heroic women like Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (D-California), in leading the charge for the largest comprehensive economic rescue bill in history, Congresswoman Katie Porter (D-California) for demanding that COVID-19 testing be administered free to all who take the test, and Senator Patty Murray (D- Washington) for her leadership in student loan deferments automatically suspending loan payments for America’s struggling students. It reaffirms that this unprecedented comprehensive legislation is the product of the feminine lens because “It Takes a Woman “ to get the job done. © Dr. Carmen Schaye
