Being affected by a pandemic that reaches all people regardless of race, color, creed, gender, or economic status is not what anyone thought we would experience in 2020. However, now that the problem is here the only solution we can rely on is our government leaders to protect ALL OF US equally as it states in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America. 

Once the opportunity presented itself for people to receive a stimulus package ranging from $1200 to $2400 for many of our taxpaying citizens a sense of relief presented itself with the exclusion of a parent that may owe outstanding child support/arrears. It meant we could provide for our families, keep food in our mouths and roofs over our heads.

The fact that this package allows those that owe the government outstanding balances and not the average American that may have Child Support arrears is an outrage. This exclusion not only removes the everyday worker that lives paycheck to paycheck but a large amount of those excluded are Black Men!

African American fathers are often looked at to be deadbeats that have abandoned their children however, that is not always the case. Taking this money away from a non-custodial parent which could provide an extra source of food, clothing, or a place to visit/live when they see their children is an absolute disgrace. It is rare that a father making less than $75,000 a year, is a taxpayer, and has arrears could not use this stimulus as well. 

We are supposed to be a nation that unites a family. That believes in love and that our children are the future yet we penalize our children by hurting the family structure that they stand on. 

I implore you to use better judgment and reconsider this exclusion in the current package as offered and any other packages that may be offered to the people in the future. Right now we are OUR only hope and without all of US, there is no U.S.A.