C4 Relief Package Negotiations Continue as President Trump Issues Executive Orders
August 11, 2020As congressional negotiations on a relief package were at a standstill over the weekend, President Trump issued four Executive Orders. Read a breakdown on those Orders, which address payroll tax deferral, weekly unemployment extension, evictions and foreclosures, and student loan payment deferral.
These Orders are likely part of a larger negotiation between Congress and the White House that could lead to a C4 relief package (next round of stimulus following CARES Act) within the next couple of weeks.
The Call for Liability Protections
The Detroit Regional Chamber has been clear that businesses need liability protections in the next deal. According to a U.S. Chamber Small Business Coronavirus Impact Poll taken earlier this year, two-thirds (67%) of small businesses are worried about coronavirus-related lawsuits.
This week, the U.S. Chamber led a Day of Action campaign on August 10 and organized supporters to urge Congress to pass temporary, targeted liability protection for businesses, schools, and universities. Using the hashtag #JobsNotLawsuits, Americans across the country made their voices heard.
Legislation the Chamber supports in the Senate would ensure entities that are working hard to follow the appropriate health guidelines don’t face an impossible choice: shut down again and risk bankruptcy or stay open and risk a crippling lawsuit.
What you can do:
- Send a letter to Congress urging it to pass liability protections.
- Use the #JobsNotLawsuits hashtag and these social media graphics on social media.
The Detroit Regional Chamber is committed to helping as many businesses, families, and industries as possible endure the financial hardships caused by the pandemic and return to work in a safe and sustainable way. The Chamber’s priorities released last month for a C4 package include:
Supports for Business
- Business liability protections.
- Expand employee retention credit program.
- Targeted supports for small- and medium-sized businesses, including extending the eligibility period of the Paycheck Protection Program for these entities.
- Expanding the Paycheck Protection Program to 501 C (6) and other nonprofit organizations.
Supports for Employees and Their Families
- Funding for state and local budgets that recognize the costs of ongoing COVID-19 response (including robust testing and contact tracing) and reduced tax collections.
- Financial support that provides K-12 schools the tools to open safely.
- Thoughtful revisions to extending any federal unemployment support that removes the disincentive to return to work, and supports the extension of the Work Share program.