‘We Demand More Coalition’ Launches Recess Actions Calling on Congress to Prioritize Care Economy in Budget Resolution 

WASHINGTON, D.C. —  The We Demand More Coalition, a collection of organizations fighting for the women, in particular Black, Indigenous, Latinx and other women of color, on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis, launched the We Demand More: Build Back Better for All Women and Caregivers Recess Actions today to push Democratic leadership to pass a transformative reconciliation bill that prioritizes the needs of women, caregivers and their families. The launch happens in advance of expected House votes next week on the budget resolution that will allow work on the reconciliation bill to begin.

“Women and caregivers have demonstrated time and again that they are the living and breathing infrastructure that has kept our country running during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is time for Congress to pass a bold and transformative reconciliation bill that puts women, especially women of color, first with paid leave for all, investments in childcare, health care without any abortion coverage or restrictions, a pathway to citizenship, and permanent tax credits for families.”  said Sonja Spoo and Angela Cobián, co-directors of the We Demand More coalition.

The recess action campaign includes:

•  A petition calling for Congress to pass this transformative infrastructure legislation

•  A Citizenship is Infrastructure week of action that includes text banking hosted by We Demand More, Planned Parenthood Action Fund and the We Are Home Campaign on Wednesday, August 25 at 7pm EDT

• An Instagram Live on the state of the infrastructure package negotiations hosted by Women’s March

• Driving participation at local town halls across the country, social media activations and in-state events and media blitzes, including a community organizing event in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

The Shepherdstown event, co-hosted by We Demand More, the Shepherd University Gender and Women’s Studies Board, Shepherd University Students for Reproductive Rights, Women’s March Chapter of the Eastern Panhandle, and the Martinsburg NAACP, will take place on Thursday, September 9 at 5pm EDT at Shepherd University. The community event will offer action stations from We Demand More and Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, local legislators and small business owners voicing their support for care-focused legislation, and food from local businesses.

About We Demand More

We Demand More is a coalition of organizations using our collective power to fight for the courageous women workers and caretakers, especially women of color, who are on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis and who are particularly impacted. Their lives, livelihoods, and families depend on lawmakers and business leaders doing more — and we need everyone to demand more. We’ve formed the We Demand More coalition to fight for four demands from Congress and corporate leaders:

1. Prioritize our health and safety ahead of corporations.

2. Get life-sustaining relief to us NOW.

3. Make state governments strong; they are our lifeline.

4. Stop the attacks on our reproductive health care, including abortion access.

More information on the We Demand More coalition can be found on its website at www.WeDemandMore.org and its letter to Congress can be found here. Below is a full list of the We Demand More coalition’s members:

Abortion Access Force
Advocates for Youth
All Women’s Progress
All* Above All Action Fund
African American Ministers In Action
American Association of University Women Action Fund
Birth In Color RVA
Black Women’s Roundtable
California National Organization for Women
Catholics for Choice
Center for American Progress Fund
Chicago Foundation for Women
Clearinghouse on Women’s Issues
Coalition of Labor Union Women
Daily Kos
DemCast USA
End Rape on Campus
Equal Pay Today
Equal Rights Advocates
Feminist Majority
Feminist Women’s Health Center
Free Speech For People
Global Justice Center
The Greenlining Institute
Hollaback!
Hopewell Fund
Interfaith Voices for Reproductive Justice
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
Mass NOW
Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable
MomsRising Together
NARAL Pro-Choice America
NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland
National Birth Equity Collaborative
National Black Justice Coalition
National Organization for Women
National Organization for Women – Connecticut chapter
National Women’s Health Network
National Women’s Law Center
New American Leaders Action Fund
New Century Trust
New Voices for Reproductive Justice
Paid Leave for All Action
PathWays PA
Period Equity
Planned Parenthood Action Fund
Public Citizen
Resilience
ServeUSA
Sisters Lead Sisters Vote
SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective
Supermajority
Ultraviolet
United State of Women
URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity
#VOTEPROCHOICE
Voto Latino
Women Employed
Women’s Fund of Rhode Island
Women’s March

Endorsement is an indication of solidarity within our movement and a recognition of the urgency of these policies. Endorsement does not necessarily mean that orgs have expertise in or are actively working towards each priority or policy listed.