For Immediate Release: September 2, 2021
Contact: Kelly Allen, 304-612-4180
Charleston, WV – Today over 30 non-profit, advocacy, and direct service organizations representing West Virginia workers and families called on U.S. Senator Joe Manchin and West Virginia’s entire federal delegation to support a robust budget resolution that meets the needs of the moment. Supports for workers and families including paid leave, investments in child care, and supports for education, nutrition, and health care are a critical companion to the bipartisan infrastructure package.
From the letter: “As organizations and people who care about children and families in West Virginia, thank you for your support of the American Rescue Plan Act and your vote to move the budget resolution forward. Already, families are seeing the life-changing impacts of the expansion of the Child Tax Credit, improvements in child and family nutrition programs, and health care investments. In fact, preliminary estimates show that federal programs, including COVID relief programs, reduced poverty by 71 percent in West Virginia in 2021. But all of these measures are temporary and do not fully address the structural challenges that families and workers in our state have faced on their own for far too long. One of the most significant challenges is balancing obligations to care for their families along with responsibilities at work in order to provide for their families.
The budget resolution presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to improve the lives of all West Virginians by creating a stronger, fairer economy that works for all of us – not just those who the system has helped reach the top of the economic ladder. Implementing these policies and investing in our people will ensure that West Virginians and our economy can emerge from the pandemic with more opportunity than ever before. It isn’t enough to go back to the status quo of child care deserts, low pay for professionals who care for our children and family members who need long-term care, and where the vast majority of workers lack access to paid family and medical leave.
We urge you to continue standing up for West Virginia families and enact bold policies that strengthen our ability to work, care for our families, and fully participate in our communities by voting for the strongest legislation possible. These investments, made over several years, will also strengthen our economy going forward by ensuring that all people are able to thrive, while expanding the capacity for our economy to absorb demand.”
You can view the full letter and the list of organizations who signed on in support here.
