Continuing the Fight for our Capital Region and Our Nation

Dear Friends,

Yesterday Congress reached a frustrating benchmark: 12 weeks since the House of Representatives passed our sweeping pandemic rescue plan, the Heroes Act. Yet even amid worsening signs of the devastating effects of COVID-19 on our nation, many Senators decided to go home early, not even bothering to stick around in the event that a deal could be reached.

As of this writing, more than 160,000 American lives have been lost to this pandemic, more than 3x the population of Troy, New York in our Capital Region.

Nearly 75,000 of those souls, close to half, have perished in the 12 weeks since the House passed the Heroes Act on May 15th. That’s 10,000 more people than live in the entire city of Schenectady.

We have no way of knowing how many of those deaths could have been prevented if the Senate had taken action back in May, or later in June, or still later in July. We only know that it's not too late for us to act right now and save tens or even hundreds of thousands of American lives, millions of jobs and countless aspects of our everyday lives that may be about to change.

State and local leaders have been sounding the alarm for months, warning that without a federal rescue they will need to start laying off critical workers and cutting essential services that have kept our communities going. The Heroes Act delivers $1.3 billion in crisis-response aid directly to New York’s Capital Region to help avoid these painful cuts and provide direct support to essential services and for the salaries of first responders, nurses, teachers, infrastructure maintenance workers and more.

Essential workers and local communities are not alone in needing immediate federal assistance. Many Americans are on the verge of financial crisis and need help to support their families, pay their bills and put food on the table day after day.

When we were developing the Heroes Act in the House, I was among a large group of members who pushed--over the objections of some--to make sure the bill included financial safeguards and accountability. Now my colleagues and I are working in the House to use those tools and our Constitutionally-assigned oversight responsibilities to find out why the Treasury Department continues to fail in this urgent effort. Just as importantly, we are working to ensure there will be real transparency and accountability for their approach going forward.

One of the most important provisions in the Heroes Act is one that would extend the $600 per week Unemployment Insurance lifeline that millions of families have relied on through this crisis to keep themselves and their families afloat.

Let me be clear: I do not believe we should use financial hardship as leverage to force America's workers into harm's way in the middle of a pandemic. But even if you disagree, the research tells us providing a safety net for unemployed workers is a smart and effective policy.

There is a growing body of evidence showing that our $600/week federal unemployment lifeline has saved millions of jobs, boosted our economy, and contrary to the Administration's claims has not kept people from going back to work. In fact, the National Bureau of Economic Research released an analysis this week and found that, “having a better safety net let people find jobs that were more in line with their skills and education rather than rushing to take the first job that comes along.”

In other words, this benefit has enabled many Americans to find a better job than the one they lost.

This is why I have argued we should be investing more—not less—in the American people. You are an investment that pays off every time.

The Heroes Act delivers those investments, not just in the form of unemployment insurance, but also money to help employers give bonuses to our essential workers, another round of stimulus funds that will help millions of Americans keep their heads above water, and much more.

Even as we work through the details of America’s next phase of a rescue plan, I’m working to bring resources and federal leadership to address many of our toughest challenges including expanding broadband internet access, helping schools and businesses adapt to new and changing realities, and ensuring people who need them can still access basic services such as mental health and addiction treatment.

At the heart of this work is always science, careful analysis, and a spirit of collaboration.

We are all in this together, and we will overcome this crisis if we continue to work together and find ways to support one another in the ways we need.

DID YOU KNOW?

Throughout this pandemic, my office and I have worked to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations on any and all COVID-19 related topics. With that in mind here is some information that may be of interest to you:

•  The IRS offers a free 10-course workshop online to help Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charities and those who would like to apply for federal tax-exempt status.
  •  Online training for Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations is free at www.stay exempt.irs.gov
  • The site provides interactive instruction for charity leadership and those who wish to apply for tax-exempt status. Participants will understand the benefits, limitations and expectations for exempt organizations. 
• This virtual workshop includes 10 topics of interest to tax-exempt organizations. Some topics this workshop covers are described below:
• Applying for Section 501(c)(3) Status
  
  • Ensure your organization is eligible for tax exemption before applying. This course discusses eligibility, the benefits of exemption, applying and what you should do while waiting for a determination letter.
•  Employment Issues
  • If your organization has employees or volunteers, it may have tax responsibilities. This course explains how to report employee wages and the rules about volunteer gifts.
•  Required Disclosures
  • This course discusses which documents must be provided upon request and the penalties for noncompliance.
•   Form 990 Overview Course
  • Most tax-exempt organizations must file an annual Form 990-series return or risk automatic revocation. This course offers tips on which form to file and how to prepare during the year.
•  Go to www.stay exempt.irs.gov to find out more details about the program and for any additional information.