Worldwide ERC® Advocates for Bipartisan Relief in Next Stimulus Package
Eric House - Feb 02 2021On 1 February, Worldwide ERC® sent letters to the Biden Administration and congressional leadership advocating for bipartisan economic relief.
In letters to President Joe Biden, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and other congressional leaders this week, Worldwide ERC® made the case for additional COVID-19 relief for our industry and applauded vaccination efforts as we prioritize a safe return to business. Worldwide ERC® also joined over 580 businesses in a Chamber of Commerce letter asking that the next stimulus package include COVID employer liability protection. Our industry stands ready to do its part on the road to recovery from this unprecedented health emergency.
Relief for the Workforce Mobility Industry Will Help Jumpstart the Economy
In our letters, we asked the Administration and Congress to negotiate a bipartisan solution to address:
- Funding for Small Businesses, including additional forgivable funding and the availability of low-interest loans well into 2021.
- Liability Protection that provides a balanced approach to help protect employers acting in good faith as they reopen workplaces and relocate employees. While our Workforce Mobility Safety Framework will help mitigate employees’ exposure to COVID-19, it will not eliminate the threat all together, and employers doing the right thing should not be held unfairly liable.
- Reinstatement of the Moving Expense Deduction to ensure that relocation and moving are more affordable.
Solutions such as these will help ensure that we get one step closer to returning to normal levels of business, where the mobility industry can continue to move the global workforce.
Congress Debates How to Move Economic Stimulus Forward
How Congress will move an economic stimulus forward remains to be seen. Democrats will push for President Biden’s $1.9 trillion relief proposal, the American Rescue Plan. In addition to $160 billion for a national vaccine program, the bill includes relief for small businesses.
Biden’s plan will move forward with either bipartisan support, or through the budget reconciliation process. It is unlikely that Biden’s plan could move forward with bipartisan support in the Senate, where Democrats hold a slim majority, to get the 60 votes needed to pass under regular consideration. More likely, Democrats may use the budget reconciliation process in which a simple, 51-vote majority would be enough, but certain provisions of Biden’s plan would likely be ruled out of order under the rules of reconciliation.
Meanwhile, in an effort to form a bipartisan agreement, 10 Republican Senators released a counterproposal that would cost about $600 billion. The price tags differ, but there are elements that both sides agree on, including the $160 billion for a national vaccine program, and relief for small businesses.
Want to Learn More?
Join Worldwide ERC® as our Public Policy team discusses what’s next for the Biden Administration and the 117th Congress in our members-only webinar “Where Is Public Policy Going in 2021?” on 4 February at 12 PM ET. Sign up today!
Should any member have questions regarding our letters, please reach out to our Vice President of Member Engagement and Public Policy Rebecca Peters, rpeters@worldwideerc.org.