Summary
In the last two weeks, Congress has passed one major piece of legislation and is poised to do the same in the coming days on a second bill. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) has been signed into law by the president. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) is scheduled to be voted on by the US House of Representatives as early as Friday, March 27 after already passing the US Senate on Wednesday, March 25. The House is expected to pass the bill and then it will head to the president who is expected to sign it into law.
Both of pieces of legislation were designed to provide economic relief for businesses and workers severely impacted by COVID-19. North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) lobbied very aggressively to ensure each bill contained policies that would help the working families of the construction industry as well as its contractors. The following memo is a summary of many of the key provisions impacting the building trades and its industry partners.
While Congress is expected to officially recess until mid to late April (possibly longer), plans for a fourth relief bill are already coming together. With the help of all the affiliates and our councils, the building trades will begin lobbying on it immediately. As you will read, we have unfinished business and our members and their families are depending on us to get it done.