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APA Advisory - Lame Duck Push for Extended COVID Relief Aid

November 30, 2020

TO:             , 

SUBJECT: Call to Action for Targeted House of Representative Contacts

Since our November 17, 2020 Call to Action targeting additional Senate Co-Sponsors for RESTART, we have received feedback from congressional contacts indicating that the RESTART package is too broad and too costly to get over the finish line during the lame duck session. However, Leadership Staff from the offices of Speaker Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senate Minority Leader Schumer and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) have met  to discuss an omnibus spending package and additional COVID-19 relief aid.  

The talks on the spending plan are on a separate track from stalled negotiations on a COVID-19 relief bill, but during the meetings, staff members discussed assistance measures tied to coronavirus relief and expiring programs related to the pandemic such as extended unemployment insurance and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), along with other expiring government programs.

We believe there is a strong desire to help the hardest hit small businesses with additional PPP and extended unemployment before December 18. If the train leaves the station on a COVID relief package, the APA needs to be on it, and we are asking our membership to once again heed this important call to action. We will resume efforts on the broader RESTART package with the new Administration in early 2021.

In this targeted Call to Action, we are focusing on three specific congressional coalitions (primarily Democrats with a few select Republicans who serve on the Problem Solvers Caucus):

  • Blue Dog Coalition
  • New Democrat Coalition
  • Problem Solvers Caucus

Attached is a highlighted list of Members of Congress from these targeted groups. While it is an extensive list, we believe the APA membership may have already made contact with a good portion of these Representatives’ staff / offices. 

Like our previous calls to action, email contact information is listed for the Legislative Director (LD). If you have already been in touch with another staffer in recent months, please continue that dialogue.

Call to Action

Please send an email to the LD of the (highlighted) Representatives where you are based or conduct business (this can include where you produce displays, events, etc.)

(template email provided below / copy & paste adding the Representative’s name, your phone number and your name).

                                 Template Letter to Modify for Your House Contacts

Subject: Please Support Extended PPP and Unemployment Insurance in a Lame Duck COVID Relief Package

Dear Representative (name):

I am writing to learn the status of a COVID relief package getting passed. While I strongly support RESTART as a long-term goal, I understand that it needs some modifications and is going to take time and I urgently need a lifeline now or my company won’t make it. PPP and enhanced unemployment will help me hang on until a broader relief package can be negotiated.

Please support another round of PPP and extended unemployment now. It is critical for Congress to take action now during the lame duck session to help the hardest hit small family businesses. We simply cannot wait until next year.

Thank you for your on-going support and assistance. Please do not hesitate to contact me a (xxx-xxx-xxxx) if you have any questions or if I can provide additional information.  Please help us!

Sincerely,

(your name) (title) (company name)

APA Efforts to Support this Urgent Call to Action

The APA is preparing a press release along with a new video to highlight the on-going impact of the pandemic on the fireworks entertainment industry and to urge Congress to act now on a COVID relief package. We will distribute the press release, with embedded video to the membership and urge our members to share the release on your social media pages. We Make Events has promised to assist us by distributing our release to their 1.2M contacts to increase our exposure.

Thank you once again to all APA members who have responded to our calls to action. We know everyone is becoming fatigued with the pandemic, the continued shut down of events that our industry supports, and with the lack of action by Congress. However, now is not the time to give up. We do believe a PPP and extended unemployment relief package can get over the finish line during the lame duck session as long as we continue to put pressure on Congress. Thus, keep making those Congressional contacts and urge action now.  

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact APA’s Executive Director Julie Heckman at [email protected] or (240) 401-4513. 

Advisory #2020-49