Charleston Gazette-Mail – The pandemic has shone a bright light on longstanding needs of families in West Virginia and across the country — needs that, when unaddressed, make families less financially secure, slow our economy and widen the gap between the richest in our country and everyone else. Read the full op-ed.
The COVID-19 relief packages enacted in 2020 and this year’s American Rescue Plan have brought relief to many families that are struggling and will help our economy bounce back in the short-term. But these measures are narrowly designed to specifically address the hardship created by the pandemic. When their temporary provisions end, so too will our progress in fighting hardship, and longstanding challenges that have contributed to West Virginia’s alarmingly high poverty rate will quickly reemerge.
That’s why we cannot stop now. This moment provides a historic opportunity to shape what our state looks like after the pandemic by building a stronger recovery and a more robust economy that works for everyone going forward. The broader measures in President Joe Biden’s American Jobs Plan and the forthcoming American Families Plan are critical to getting families and small businesses back on their feet while building a more just future.
