What’s happening this week in Congress – December 1, 2020

As coronavirus cases continue to rise around the country, we hope that you and your family are staying safe and healthy this holiday season. As 2020 comes to a close, business is continuing on Capitol Hill. Here’s what you need to know.

On Tuesday, the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee held a hearing on the quarterly CARES Act report to Congress. It’s important to note that although the CARES Act provided nearly $2 trillion in relief for the coronavirus crisis, the CARES Act was passed in March—and our families have continued to struggle as the pandemic has only gotten worse.

For example, on Wednesday, the House Financial Services Committee will also hold a hearing on the Treasury Department’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Latinos have the highest unemployment rate out of any racial or ethnic group in the country and continue to get sick and die at disproportionate rates—all while working on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis. Our families need relief, and so far, Congress has not provided what our families need to make sure they can both stay safe and continue to put food on the table.

And finally, on Thursday, the House Oversight and Reform Committee will have a hearing on ensuring that the 2020 census is accurate. This is critical, especially since the census determines funding for programs like school lunches and community health centers, as well as representation in Congress. Latinos are often undercounted in the census, which is why many UnidosUS Affiliates worked hard this year to ensure that our community was informed about why filling out the census mattered.

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