Nation's Mayors Urge Congress and Administration to Keep Working on Urgently Needed COVID-19 Relief Legislation

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) is urging congressional and administration leaders to return to the negotiating table and pass a bipartisan COVID-19 relief package. American cities continue to face devastating budget shortfalls as a direct result of the pandemic. Today USCM President Louisville (KY) Mayor Greg Fischer, USCM Vice President Dayton (OH) Mayor Nan Whaley, and USCM Second Vice President Miami (FL) Mayor Francis Suarez issued the following statement:

"Do not give up. Our leaders must not accept failure and allow the recovery to falter. While Congress went away for August, America's challenges from COVID-19 did not. So many are counting on further action by Congress, not the least of which are the millions who live in American cities. 

"Cities have largely been left behind in Washington's response to this crisis, and the fiscal situation for local governments everywhere continues to deteriorate. The cost of inaction is being paid by residents everywhere who are left with reduced services at a time when they are needed most, and has resulted in increased unemployment rolls, as public employees who provide these services are laid off. Cities are drivers of our economy, and we cannot have a strong recovery without strong cities. Mayors everywhere, in big cities and small, are urging Congress and the White House to come together to meet this critical moment in history."

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 more than 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