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 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 15, 2021.
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.
To learn more about how our region is preparing for recovery, visit our Recharge & Recover PHL Information Hub:
KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Federal
- Yesterday, President Donald Trump was impeached for a second time by the House of Representatives, which has formally charged him with incitement of insurrection following the events of January 6 at the Capitol Building.
- A two-thirds majority of the Senate is required to convict President Trump. When the Senate convenes next week, 17 Republicans would need to join 50 Democrats to reach the threshold required to make a conviction.
- President-elect Joe Biden has assembled his Cabinet nominees and White House Senior Staff ahead of Inauguration Day. View the full update for a list of key nominees and appointees.
State
- PA House Republicans announced a new economic recovery task force to focus on regulatory reform, the economic impacts of COVID-19 business closures, and the disbursement of federal assistance.
- Gov. Wolf will deliver his budget priorities in a state address in early February to be followed by several weeks of budget hearings in the Senate and House.
- A federal judge upheld the counting of undated mail-in ballots in a tight Senate race for the 45th Senatorial District seat, thereby validating Sen. Brewster’s victory over his Republican challenger.
- A special election will be held on Tuesday, May 18 to fill the open state House seat for the 59th legislative district that was held by Rep. Mike Reese (R-Westmoreland), who died from a brain aneurysm earlier this month.
- On Wednesday, the House State Government Committee met to consider House Bill 55, a constitutional amendment to limit gubernatorial emergency declaration powers.
- The Chamber will host Governor Tom Wolf on January 25 for a virtual Conversation with the Governor. Read the full report below for more information and to register.
Local
- Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Philadelphia have exceeded 98,500 with over 2,600 deaths.
- A number of current business and activity restrictions will be lifted beginning Jan. 16. Indoor dining at 25% capacity, theaters and performance spaces at 10% of their maximum occupancy, and in-person college classes will all be allowed to resume on Saturday.
- The Department of Public Health has published the City’s priority populations for vaccine distribution, covering Phases 1a, 1b, 1c, and 2. Phases 1a-c focus on essential workers and those at a high risk of morbidity or mortality with Phase 2 working to vaccinate everyone over the age of 16.
- City Council is currently on recess until Thursday, January 28, 2021.
DETAILED LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Federal: Updates from Washington D.C.
President Trump Impeached
Yesterday, President Donald Trump became the only U.S. President in history to be impeached twice by the House of Representatives, which has formally charged him with incitement of insurrection following the events of January 6, 2021 at the Capitol Building. Ten Republicans in the House joined Democrats to impeach the President. The article of impeachment will be sent to the Senate for trial where a two-thirds majority will be required to convict President Trump, which means 17 Senate Republicans would need to join 50 Democrats to reach the threshold. Several Republican Senators have been critical of the President in strong terms, but few have said if they would vote to convict. The New York Times has reported that Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell told associates that he believes President Trump committed impeachable offenses and that he is pleased that Democrats are moving to impeach him. If Leader McConnell votes to convict, the prospects of 16 other Republicans joining him in the Senate becomes very real.
When the trial will begin is not clear, but it will not begin before President Trump’s term ends and President-elect Biden takes office. Leader McConnell has said that he will not begin the trial process this week, because no final verdict would be reached until after President Trump had left office. Acknowledging the time required for Senate procedure, Biden urged the Senate to consider the article of impeachment when he takes office, but simultaneous to addressing the business of confirming his Cabinet nominations and public health priorities.
While the obvious goal for impeachment is to remove the President from office, reaching a conviction after the President leaves office would disqualify him from running for office again. President Trump has hinted at a possible run in 2024.
Biden Cabinet Assembled
President-elect Joe Biden has assembled his Cabinet nominees and White House Senior Staff ahead of Inauguration Day. With Democrat-control of the Senate following victories in the Georgia Senate runoffs, the President-elect can expect a relatively smoother path to confirmation for many of his nominations. Recent precedent requires only a simple majority in the Senate to confirm Presidential cabinet nominations. The list of key nominees and appointees includes:
- Chief of Staff: Ron Klain
- Climate Czar: Gina McCarthy
- Press Secretary: Jennifer Psaki
- Economic Council Director: Brian Deese
- Domestic Policy Council Director: Ambassador Susan Rice
- National Security Adviser: Jake Sullivan
Climate Nominees and Appointees
- Secretary of the Interior: Congresswoman Deb Haaland
- Secretary of Energy: Fmr. Gov. Jennifer Granholm
- Environmental Protection Agency Administrator: Michael S. Regan
- Labor Secretary: Marty Walsh
Domestic Nominees and Appointees
- Secretary of Agriculture: Secretary Tom Vilsack
- Housing and Urban Development Secretary: Marcia Fudge
- Secretary of Veterans Affairs: Denis McDonough
- Secretary of Transportation: Pete Buttigieg
- Secretary of Education: Dr. Miguel Cardona
- U.S. Trade Representative: Katherine Tai
Economy Nominees and Appointees
- Secretary of the Treasury: Janet Yellen
- Secretary of Commerce: Governor Gina Raimondo
- Secretary of Labor: Mayor Marty Walsh
- Director of Office of Management and Budget: Neera Tanden
- Small Business Administrator: Isabel Guzman
Health Nominees and Appointees
- Secretary of Health and Human Services: Xavier Becerra
- Surgeon General: Dr. Vivek Murthy
- Director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Dr. Rochelle Walensky
- COVID-19 Equity Task Force Chair: Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith
- Chief Medical Adviser on COVID-19: Dr. Anthony Fauci
Justice Nominees and Appointees
- Attorney General: Judge Merrick Garland
National Security Nominees and Appointees
- Secretary of State: Antony Blinken
- Secretary of Defense: Lloyd Austin
- Secretary of Homeland Security: Alejandro Mayorkas
- Director of National Intelligence: Avril Haines
- U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations: Linda Thomas-Greenfield
- CIA Director: Ambassador William Burns
- Special Presidential Envoy for Climate: Secretary John Kerry
Questions? Contact Anselm Sauter (asauter@chamberphl.com) for more information about federal legislative affairs.
State: Updates from Harrisburg
PA House Republicans Announce Economic Recovery Task Force
On Tuesday, Pennsylvania House Republican Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre) announced a new economic recovery task force, branded as making Pennsylvania the “Envy of the East.”
The task force will be headed by Rep. Aaron Kaufer (R-Luzerne) and will work with legislative committees. Leader Benninghoff said that the task force will examine regulatory reform, the continued economic impacts of COVID-19 orders issued by the Wolf administration, and ensuring lawmakers have a say in any decisions regarding the disbursement of federal assistance.
Gov. Wolf will deliver his budget priorities in a state address in early February, and then the House and Senate will hold several weeks of budget hearings to learn more about the governor’s proposals and the state’s fiscal situation.
Judge Upholds Sen. Brewster Election Results
Sen. Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny) was sworn in Wednesday after a federal judge upheld the counting of undated mail-in ballots in a tight Senate race for the 45th Senatorial District seat, thereby validating Brewster’s victory over Republican challenger Nicole Ziccarelli.
In an opinion issued Tuesday, Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan of the United States Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania said the undated mail ballots are valid and should be counted in the race.
Special Election Called for May 18th
A special election will be held on Tuesday, May 18 to fill the open state House seat for the 59th legislative district, House Speaker Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) announced Tuesday.
The seat was held by Rep. Mike Reese (R-Westmoreland), who died from a brain aneurysm earlier this month.
Join the Chamber for a Discussion with Gov. Wolf
Join the Chamber on Monday, January 25 at 3 p.m. for a candid and engaging conversation with Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf who will share his vision for an economic recovery post-pandemic, what a Biden Administration means to Pennsylvania, and his legislative goals for 2021.
Held virtually this year, A Conversation with the Governor invites business and civic leaders to hear directly from Governor Wolf in an informal interview moderated by 6abc’s Action News Morning Anchor Matt O’Donnell. Learn more and register »
State House Committee to Consider Constitutional Amendment
On Wednesday, the House State Government Committee met to consider House Bill 55, a constitutional amendment to limit gubernatorial emergency declaration powers. A constitutional amendment to limit gubernatorial disaster declaration powers has already been approved by the Pennsylvania General Assembly during the recently-completed 2019-2020 legislative session. The concurrent resolution has to be approved by the General Assembly during two consecutive legislative sessions before it can be put to the state’s voters in the form of a ballot question.
House Bill 55 would insert into the Pennsylvania Constitution a provision to ensure emergency disaster declarations by the governor last no more than 21 days; the declaration can be extended by the governor for additional 21-day periods, but only with the approval by the General Assembly of a concurrent resolution to do so.
Currently, the governor can declare a disaster emergency for no more than 90 days, after which the declaration has to be renewed. The General Assembly can approve a concurrent resolution to terminate the declaration, but the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that the Pennsylvania Constitution does not prevent the governor from vetoing such a resolution allowing the governor to continue to declare emergencies.
State Senate Announces Committee Chairs
The Pennsylvania Senate committee chairs are as follows: pasenategop.com
Upcoming State Advocacy Programs
- January 25 – [Virtual] A Conversation with the Governor »
- January 26 – [Virtual] Grow PA: Higher Ed’s Role in the Future of Work »
- February 9 – [Virtual] State Advocacy Update with Representative Joanna McClinton »
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
Yesterday, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health reported the total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Philadelphia has reached 98,505. The number of residents who have succumbed to the virus in Philadelphia has reached 2,664. Of the total deaths, 1,050 (40%) were long-term care facility residents.
COVID-19 Restrictions
City officials announced today that a number of current business and activity restrictions will be lifted beginning Saturday, January 16. They are as follows:
- Indoor dining will be allowed with a cap on the number of diners set at 25 percent of the seating capacity.
- Theaters and performance spaces will be allowed with a cap on the total number of attendees, including staff, of 10 percent maximum occupancy. If the maximum occupancy is unknown, allow 10 persons per 1,000 square feet. Everyone in attendance must be masked, and no food or drink is allowed.
- Colleges will be allowed to resume in-person classes.
Full guidance documents on each of the newly allowed businesses and activities will be posted on the City’s COVID-19 website soon.
Vaccine Prioritization
The Department of Public Health has published the City’s priority populations for vaccine distribution, covering Phases 1a, 1b, 1c, and 2. This list was developed using guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the City’s Vaccine Advisory Committee, which is comprised of 40 local academic and health care experts, and community leaders. The goal of the Vaccine Advisory Committee is to ensure that the vaccine is distributed in Philadelphia in the most equitable fashion with special attention to differing risks of different populations.
- Phase 1a, which the city is currently in, includes health care workers and residents and staff of nursing homes.
- Phase 1b will include first responders, service providers working with high-risk populations, public transit, food workers, childcare and education providers, high-volume essential retail workers, and those who manufacture critical goods. Also included in this phase are those at a high-risk of morbidity or mortality—including people who live and work in congregate residential settings, people over the age of 75, and those living with high-risk medical conditions.
- Phase 1c will include sanitation workers, maintenance/janitorial workers, utility workers, postal and package delivery workers, those who work in higher education, finance, transportation, construction, IT & telecommunications, public health, and legal professions. Also included in this phase are those at a high-risk morbidity or mortality—including people between the ages of 65 and 74.
- Phase 2 will attempt to vaccinate everyone older than 16 years of age who was not previously immunized.
Detailed descriptions of each of the priority groups is available on the City’s COVID-19 website.
Updates from City Council
City Council is currently on recess until Thursday, January 28, 2021.
View the status of pending bills and resolutions »
View upcoming confirmed City Council meeting dates and agendas »
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:
- Anselm Sauter, Federal Affairs – asauter@chamberphl.com
- Liz Ferry, State Affairs – lferry@chamberphl.com
- William Carter, Local Affairs – wcarter@chamberphl.com
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.
To learn more about how our region is preparing for recovery, visit our Recharge & Recover PHL Information Hub:
