As Congress continues to mull over a COVID-19 relief package – and the President moves back and forth from delaying the legislation to pushing it through – the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) is imploring lawmakers for help, warning of a “mass collapse” of the live music industry if relief doesn’t come soon.

For months, NIVA has been endorsing the Save Our Stages act, a piece of legislation that will provide an economic stimulus to “keep venues afloat, pay employees, and preserve a critical economic sector for communities across America.”

Recently, Save Our Stages was passed in the House of Representatives as part of the $2.2 trillion “Heroes Act,” but it is currently stagnant in the Senate, as Republicans and Democrats remain in a deadlock.

“This is real. We need help,” reads NIVA’s statement. “We urge Congress and the White House to continue negotiations and reach a deal quickly or there will be a mass collapse of this industry.”

Meanwhile, venues – like Washington DC’s U Street Music hall – continue to close out of financial necessity.

Learn more about NIVA here, and read the organization’s full statement below:

We have been sounding the alarm since April that if our members don’t get emergency assistance, they will go under forever—and it’s happening. This is real. We need help. We urge Congress and the White House to continue negotiations and reach a deal quickly or there will be a mass collapse of this industry. The Save Our Stages Act has already passed the House and has strong bipartisan support with more than 160 Congresspeople cosponsoring because they know independent venues can be part of our country’s economic renewal once it’s safe to welcome people back—if our venues can survive this pandemic. We’re also hoping for the sake of our furloughed employees that the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance will be extended, as people are suffering through no fault of their own.