Mayors: Widespread COVID Crisis Requires Comprehensive Response from Congress

American Cities Among the Many Sectors In Urgent Need of Direct Assistance

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Oct 08, 2020, 17:53 ET

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As talks continue about a long-overdue legislative package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) Vice President Dayton (OH) Mayor Nan Whaley and Arlington (TX) Mayor Jeff Williams, Chair of the USCM Metro Economies Standing Committee, who are leading the Conference's COVID relief effort to secure direct emergency fiscal assistance for all cities, released the following statement.

"Everyone has been hurt by this pandemic, and it's clear that the only path ahead is a comprehensive bill that addresses the widespread damage. American families, small businesses, the unemployed, countless hard-hit industries, and state and local governments all need help. The American people have sacrificed through this pandemic recognizing that we're all in this together. It's beyond time for Washington to respond in the same spirit.

"Supporting cities on the frontline of the pandemic is not a partisan issue. Republicans and Democrats, the Administration and the Federal Reserve, have all expressed support for providing assistance to state and local governments. It is simply a fact that our recovery will be significantly hampered if Congress and the Administration do not come through with fiscal relief for cities. Mayors are working hard, stretching our budgets, and using every tool at our disposal to keep our communities safe, but the pandemic is a national emergency that requires a strong and comprehensive national response. This crisis is not going away anytime soon, and we urge lawmakers to work in a bipartisan manner to get a bill over the finish line."

About The United States Conference of Mayors -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are nearly 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/usmayors, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/usmayors.

SOURCE U.S. Conference of Mayors