Your Chamber advocacy team is working to share legislative updates and continue to advocate for your business in Washington, D.C., Harrisburg, and Philadelphia. We’ve created a round-up of recent activity including Key Takeaways for Your Business and a Detailed Legislative Update. This represents our best knowledge of the situation as of 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 20, 2020.

Chamber members are invited to join weekly legislative update calls hosted by our Advocacy team to hear the latest on COVID-19 relief and recovery efforts at the federal, state, and local level as well as other legislative matters concerning our community.

We also have a COVID-19 Information Hub with up-to-date resources to support your business.

Visit the COVID-19 Information Hub

KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

Federal

  • House Democratic leaders plan to summon House members back to Washington, D.C. this weekend to vote on legislation to provide $25 billion in funding to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). Senate Republicans have no plans to consider any standalone USPS bill from the House. 

  • Senate Republicans plan to consider a pared-down version of their original stimulus proposal that would include USPS funding, liability protections, extended unemployment benefits, PPP funding, and emergency appropriations for education, testing and tracing, and vaccine development.

  • The Chamber calls for a return to bipartisan negotiations and advocates for the inclusion of small- and mid-sized business relief and assistance, direct funding for state and local government, supplemental funding for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, and employer liability protections.

  • Chamber members should contact their elected representatives in Washington, D.C. to urge these leaders to return to the negotiating table.

State

  • The Pennsylvania House Transportation Committee discussed several bills including legislation to accelerate the drawdown of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s payments that help support mass transit.

  • Members also discussed legislation calling for transferring state police funding to the General Fund from the Motor License Fund.

  • The Chamber will host virtual events with State Senator Dave Argall (Sept. 3) and Budget Secretary Dave Argall (Sept. 9). Read the full update to learn more and register.

Local

  • Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Philadelphia have exceeded 32,000 with over 1,700 deaths.

  • City Council is currently in recess. The next stated meeting of Council will take place on Thursday, September 10, 2020.

  • The Chamber will host virtual events with Deputy Mayor of Labor Richard Lazer (Aug. 26) and the Office of the Director of Finance featuring Rob Dubow, Director of Finance, and Marisa Waxman, Budget Director (Sept. 1). Read the full weekly update to learn more and register.

DETAILED LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Federal: Updates from Washington D.C.

House Democrats Urging USPS Funding

House Democratic leaders plan to summon House members back to Washington, D.C. this weekend during their August recess to vote on legislation to provide $25 billion in funding to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and block operational changes that Democrats worry will jeopardize a presidential election relying heavily on mail-in voting as the electorate is encouraged to stay home to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, a significant number of Democrats are pushing party leadership to include additional economic relief and assistance measures as part of the vote on the USPS bill when the House returns Saturday. There has been no signal from House leadership that it intends to consider measures beyond the standalone USPS bill. At the same time, Senate Republicans have no plans to consider any standalone USPS bill sent their way from the House. 

Republic Leaders Consider Pared-Down Stimulus Proposal

During negotiations on an emergency stimulus package earlier this month, Democrats had rejected Republicans offered piecemeal approach to address expiring CARES Act provisions and areas of bipartisanship. Yet, Republicans still plan to consider a pared-down version of their original stimulus proposal that would include $10 billion in USPS funding, liability protections, extended unemployment benefits, funding for the Paycheck Protection Program, and emergency appropriations for education, testing and tracing, and vaccine development.

In the meantime, talks on a broader economic relief and assistance recovery package remain gridlocked since negotiations fell apart and congressional members left Washington, D.C. at the end of the first week of August. Last week, Democrats expressed a willingness to restart negotiations if Republicans would consider a $2 trillion proposal, a price tag that roughly splits the difference between the two legislative chamber’s proposals. Republicans have insisted on keeping the price of the next stimulus proposal closer to $1 trillion.

The Chamber Calls for Economic Relief and Assistance

The Chamber urges congressional members to pass an additional bipartisan COVID-19 economic relief and assistance package that includes supplemental funding for testing and contact tracing, small and mid-sized business relief, direct aid to state and local government, and reskilling and rehiring disadvantaged populations, including:

  • $75 billion for COVID-19 testing and contacts tracing.
  • $375 billion in flexible funding to county and city governments.
  • $60 billion in emergency relief funds for K-12 educational institutions.
  • $46.6 billion in flexible funding for higher education.
  • $15.6 billion in funding for the nation’s workforce development system to support rehiring and reskilling initiatives.
  • $10 billion in Economic Development Administration grants for Destination Marketing Organizations.
  • $80 million appropriation for partially forgivable loans and advance grants to small businesses damaged during recent civil unrest.
  • Liability relief provisions contained in the “SAFE TO WORK Act”.
  • Funding and reforms to the Paycheck Protection Program contained in the “Continuing Small Business Recovery and Paycheck Protection Program Act” and “Paycheck Protection Small Business Forgiveness Act”.
  • Tax incentives to help offset business expenses for testing for COVID-19, protective personal equipment, cleaning supplies, and capital improvements or workplace reconfiguration expenses.  
  • Tax credits to manufacturers that construct, expand, and retrofit factories to meet increased PPE demand. 

Contact Your Elected Representatives

All Chamber members should contact their elected representatives in Washington, D.C. urging them to push congressional leaders to advance a relief and assistance package that will accelerate the recovery of our regional economy and promote equity among disadvantaged businesses and workers.

Contact your House Representative »

Contact your Senators »  

Please share your outreach efforts with us for reference in our future contact with Congressional offices. Thank you in advance for your efforts on behalf of our regional economic recovery.

Questions? Contact Anselm Sauter (asauter@chamberphl.com) for more information about federal legislative affairs.

State: Updates from Harrisburg

PA House Committee Discusses Funding Transportation

This week, the Pennsylvania House Transportation Committee discussed several bills including legislation to accelerate the drawdown of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s payments that help support mass transit.

House Bill 2361 would allow the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to reduce its $450 million annual payment for mass transit earlier than a 2022 target date set in state law. The bill would reduce the payment to $300 million for Fiscal Year 2020-21; $150 million for FY2021-22, and $50 million for FY 2022-23. HB 2361 would use motor vehicle sales tax revenue as replacement funding for mass transit.

In addition, members also discussed legislation calling for transferring state police funding to the General Fund from the Motor License Fund.

Upcoming State Advocacy Virtual Programs

Senator Argall is in the running to be the next Majority Leader and represents the 29th District, 94 municipalities ranging from the farms and growing Berks County suburbs of Reading to the anthracite coal “patch towns” of northern Schuylkill County. He currently serves as the Majority Policy Chairman. 

Pennsylvania Budget Secretary Jen Swails will discuss the ongoing budget negotiations between the Administration and House and Senate leadership as members work to complete the remaining 7-month budget while addressing a $6 billion shortfall in revenue. She will also provide insight into how the remaining CARES Act funding will be spent as well as the next round of stimulus dollars from Washington, D.C. 

Questions? Contact Liz Ferry (lferry@chamberphl.com) for more information about state legislative affairs.

Local: Updates from Philadelphia’s City Hall

COVID-19 Case Data

On Wednesday, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health reported the total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Philadelphia has reached 32,569. This brings the number of residents who have succumbed to the virus in Philadelphia to 1,735. Of the total deaths, 866 (50%) were long-term care facility residents.

City Council Stated Meetings

City Council’s latest Stated Meeting took place on Thursday, June 25, 2020. The next stated meeting of Council will take place on Thursday, September 10, 2020. View confirmed meeting dates and agendas »

Upcoming City Hall Connectors Events

The City Hall Connectors series seeks to improve Philadelphia’s business atmosphere and promote inclusive growth by offering exclusive engagement opportunities for Chamber members with the City’s elected and administrative officials. Attendees have a chance to hear from, interact with, and build relationships with these important decision-makers, as well as offer input on how Philadelphia can further enhance its economic climate.

Richard Lazer, Deputy Mayor of Labor will discuss the City’s various labor provisions impacting businesses and how to remain in compliance. 

Rob Dubow, Director of Finance, and Marisa Waxman, Budget Director will discuss how the City is managing its finances to align with ongoing efforts to assist businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic, provide vital city services, and support for social justice budget priorities.

Questions? Contact William Carter (wcarter@chamberphl.com) for more information about local legislative affairs.

WE’RE HERE FOR YOU, YOUR TEAM, AND YOUR BUSINESS

The constantly changing nature of this public health crisis requires continued engagement with public policy developments. We invite you to reach out to our advocacy team directly with your questions: 

Chamber members are invited to join weekly legislative update calls hosted by our Advocacy team to hear the latest on COVID-19 relief and recovery efforts at the federal, state, and local level as well as other legislative matters concerning our community.

We also have a COVID-19 Information Hub with up-to-date resources to support your business.

Visit the COVID-19 Information Hub