FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Candidate for Congress, Blair Walsinham, TN-01, Urges Governor Lee to extend Eviction Ban 

Eison, TN. June 30, 2020. Blair Walsingham, the remaining candidate for the Democratic nomination for US Congress in the 1st District, is calling upon Governor Lee to extend the eviction ban. The eviction ban was put in place to protect tenants who had lost their jobs during the pandemic, but as of July 23, owners of properties who had received federal assistance, will be able to pursue evictions of those unable to pay rent.

Walsingham said, “Governor Lee has extended the emergency to August 29. With the increased cases of COVID-19 in Tennessee, we have too many residents who will not be able to get back to work, much less find a way to pay late rent.” Walsingham says it’s only logical for the Governor to also extend tenant protections, and he should be looking at ways to assist property owners during this period.

“Our representatives in D.C. must be proactive,” Walsingham says. She proposes that Tennessee's representatives in the US Congress either seek to extend the federal assistance programs in place, or advocate for basic income for all Americans for the next 12 months, funded by a Value Added Tax on all non-food items. She says, “this pandemic has no clear end in sight, and we can’t keep living in a state of anxiety over whether or not the administration will support the plans for as long as they are needed.

There are no imminent vaccines for the virus, and Walsingham says that twelve months is a reasonable amount of time to develop such a vaccine based on statements made by health officials.

“I believe in basic income, and COVID has shown why my plan would reduce hardship in difficult times like these.” Walsingham cites the plan as a way to reduce bureaucracy and eliminate the complicated urgent policies Washington is scrambling to come up with at a time when people’s livelihoods are on the line.

Walsingham says that one of her top priorities when she gets to Congress will be to pass a universal basic income, but for now, the short term proposal would be a good way to test the plan, reduce the politics around the pandemic, and provide relief to millions of Americans suffering from loss of income. She is also proposing a federal ban on taxing food items which, she says, will help consumers suffering financial hardship, locally owned markets, and independent farmers.

The Tennessee Democratic Primary will take place on August 6.

To learn more visit: https://blairforcongress.com/

About Blair Walsingham: 

Congressional candidate for U.S. House TN District-1 Blair Walsingham is committed to putting people before politics. Blair is endorsed by key community and national organizations including the Humanity First Party, Black Coffee Justice, Income Movement and former presidential candidate Andrew Yang, A veteran, outdoorswoman, small business owner and mother Blair’s campaign is laser-focused on helping the 1st District survive today and thrive tomorrow.