Catherine Rampell’s March 20 column, “Bail out small businesses, not airlines,” made a compelling point on the proper focus for bailout efforts, but she did not go far enough. What is desperately needed is an emergency bill of rights for all Americans. The emergency bill of rights would specify that for the duration of the emergency and a reasonable period beyond: No person may be evicted from his or her home; no person can have a mortgage foreclosed; no person can have residential utilities cut off; no person can have a car towed or repossessed; and no person can be denied hospital treatment because of inability to pay. Exceptions can be made only for case-specific reasons of public health or safety, certified by a responsible local, state or federal official.

Congress and our state governments should promptly adopt and implement this bill of rights to protect millions of Americans who are vulnerable to economic disaster caused by the virus emergency.

Joseph Canny, Alexandria