Featured Image

48 Hours and Counting: Coronavirus Stimulus Talks Continue

Will there or won’t there be another round of coronavirus relief before Election Day? The White House, the House, and the Senate are still apart, but the gap is narrowing, at least between the White House and the House...
Oct 19, 2020

Will there or won’t there be another round of coronavirus relief before Election Day? The White House, the House, and the Senate are still apart, but the gap is narrowing, at least between the White House and the House. Right now, the ball is in President Donald Trump’s court. On Sunday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., threw down the gauntlet and gave White House negotiators 48 hours to reconcile the differences between their proposal and the House-passed bill. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said yesterday he was hopeful an agreement would be reached.

Earlier this month, President Trump surprised many in his party when he pledged his support for a $1.8 trillion stimulus package only days after withdrawing from negotiations over the lack of progress. Even though Speaker Pelosi is under extreme pressure to move toward the White House offer, Democrats haven’t budged on their more expensive $2.2 trillion measure. Cost does not appear to be the dealbreaker, as the president has signaled his willingness to spend even more. The main sticking points are aid to states and a national coronavirus testing strategy.

Even if a deal is reached, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would not put the bill up for a vote because it’s too expensive. Instead, Senate leaders are preparing for a Wednesday vote on a pared-down $500 billion bill. This bill is targeted relief that includes more funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), expanded unemployment benefits, and funding for schools.

AMT is advocating for two provisions in any package. The first, refunding the PPP, is included in all three packages. When the SBA loan program expired at the end of July, there was $130 billion in funding left unused even though demand was strong. AMT supports making those funds available immediately and adding additional funds as needed to shore up our small businesses struggling to make payroll and survive. Our second priority is liability protection for businesses against frivolous lawsuits exploiting the pandemic. This provision, included only in the White House proposal, would protect businesses that comply with the law and do everything in their power to protect their workers.

The back-and-forth between the sides has been going since mid-summer with little progress to date. The House approved a bill that clearly would not see the light of day in the Senate. The Senate answered by passing a bill that was unacceptable to the House. Voters are fed up, and rank-and-file members of Congress from both parties are frustrated with the inaction. Even Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell urged Congress to pass more stimulus, adding that there is little risk of “overdoing” it.

With the clock running out, it’s hard to imagine a large package before the election. But like Disney World, anything is possible in Washington. 

PicturePicture
Author
Amber Thomas
Vice President, Advocacy
Recent advocacy News
It’s been a rough year in Washington. Partisan divisiveness and party infighting obstructed real legislative work, while domestic and geopolitical unrest necessitated action. Here’s a review of what happened and what’s ahead that will impact manufacturing.
AMT Vice President for Advocacy Amber Thomas reviews activity on Capitol Hill and her work with a bipartisan group to reverse changes enacted as part of the Tax Cuts and Job Act that hamper manufacturing innovation and competitiveness.
As manufacturing technology providers, we have the power to make a big impact on the health of our planet. AMT is embarking on a series of articles investigating the issues surrounding sustainable manufacturing.
At AMT’s 2021 MFG Meeting and MTForecast Conference, Nov. 2-5, in Denver, Colorado, Larry Sabato will examine the latest political environment in Washington, D.C., and state capitals. He’ll share his observations and predictions on the 2022 ...
Today, the House approved the $3.5 trillion budget blueprint and set a Sept. 27 deadline to vote on the $550 billion infrastructure bill – days before transportation funding runs out on Oct. 1.
Similar News
Featured Image
Advocacy
By Amber Thomas | Nov 16, 2020

Now that the election is over, attention on Capitol Hill has shifted to what can be accomplished in the lame-duck session – the time after the election until the 116th Congress concludes on Jan. 3, 2021...

2 min
Featured Image
Advocacy
By Amber Thomas | Sep 03, 2020

President Donald Trump’s executive order to defer employee payroll taxes through the end of 2020 took effect on Sept. 1. The new policy defers an employee’s obligation to pay the 6.2% Social Security tax from every paycheck, but it doesn’t forgive it...

1 min
undefined
Advocacy
By Amber Thomas | Aug 28, 2020

Chief negotiators at the White House, Senate, and House remain deadlocked on a relief package to follow the CARES Act, despite the expiration of extended unemployment benefits and the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) in July...

2 min