News

ISSA Coronavirus Government Response Update—Trump Sends Mixed Messages Over Stimulus

Welcome to the ISSA Coronavirus Government Response Update. This information is intended to keep our members up to date on government affairs related to the cleaning industry and COVID-19. Today’s update touches on U.S. President Donald Trump sending mixed messages regarding stimulus talks, the  U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announcement on additional coronavirus violations, a judge temporarily blocking parts of a visa ban, and more.

Trump Sends Mixed Messages over Ending Stimulus Negotiations
President Trump on Tuesday called an abrupt end to negotiations with Democrats over additional COVID-19 relief, delaying action until after the election despite warnings from his own Federal Reserve Chairman about the deteriorating conditions in the economy, the Los Angeles Times reported. Trump tweeted that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA-D) was “not negotiating in good faith” and said that he asked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY-R) to direct all his focus before the election to confirming his U.S. Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett. Hours later, Trump appeared to “edge back” from his call to end negotiations. He took to Twitter again and called on Congress to send him a “Stand Alone Bill for Stimulus Checks (US$1,200)”—a reference to a pre-election batch of direct payments to most Americans that had been a central piece of negotiations between Pelosi and the White House. He also called on Congress to immediately approve $25 billion for airlines and $135 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program to help small businesses.

OSHA Announces $484,069 In Coronavirus Violations
Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited 37 establishments for violations, resulting in proposed penalties totaling $484,069.

Judge Blocks Large Parts of Temporary Work Visa Ban
A judge temporarily lifted a visa ban on a large number of work permits, undercutting a measure that the Trump administration says protects American jobs in a pandemic-wracked economy, according to The Associated Press. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White said his ruling applied to members of organizations that sued the administration—the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers, National Retail Federation, TechNet, and Intrax Inc. White said his order did not extend beyond those groups but he noted that they comprise “hundreds of thousands of American businesses of all sizes from a cross-section of economic sectors.”

Other links of interest

• Complete This ISSA Survey and Make Your Voice Heard
• Save Your Seat: Cleaning Products – A Regulatory Review
• Be the First to Know How Government Affairs Impacts the Cleaning Industry: Become an ISSA Advocate for Clean
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Coronavirus Resources
• CDC: Coronavirus FAQ