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Washington Weekly Update: 9-21-20

Situational Awareness

Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced last week that she intends to keep the House in session until an agreement is reached on coronavirus relief. The Senate is scheduled to adjourn on October 9, but the death of Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has raised the prospect of the Senate staying in session to process a nomination to the nation’s highest court.

SCOTUS Nominee Expected This Week

President Trump has vowed to name his nominee to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg this week. The President has indicated he intends to nominate a woman to the court and two potential candidates have emerged from the Appeals Court: Judges Amy Coney Barrett and Barbara Lagoa.  

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said he intends to process the nomination prior to the end of this Congress, which concludes on January 3, 2021. It is yet unclear whether the Majority Leader has the votes to proceed with a nomination. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) have expressed reservations about confirming a justice to the Supreme Court so close to an election.  

There has been much speculation about whether Senate Republicans should proceed with a nomination to the court given their high-profile position in 2016 in refusing to process Judge Merrick Garland to the Court, leaving the court with just 8 justices for roughly nine months. Senate Republicans have noted the circumstances are different in this case given that the White House and Senate are both controlled by the same party. Democrats in the Senate and House have raised alarms and vowed to do everything in their power to stop the nomination from happening.

Government Funding Deal Close

Reports are that Democrats and Republicans are close to reaching an agreement to keep the federal government functioning after the fiscal year ends on September 30. The deal keeps the government funded through December 11, 2020, to allow Congress time to finalize appropriations for fiscal year 2021. There had been concerns a deal could get bogged down with fights over coronavirus relief or the Supreme Court battle, but negotiators agreed fairly early in the process to keep those issues separate. The agreement is likely to be considered by the House this week and the Senate will take up the package next week.

Coronavirus Relief Takes a Back Seat

An agreement for additional coronavirus relief remains elusive and appears to be taking a back seat to overall government funding and now a Supreme Court nomination. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell will testify before the House Financial Services Committee this week. Republicans in the House and Senate have been growing more concerned about deficits and the need for additional relief or stimulus over the last weeks. With a Supreme Court nomination battle looming, it is increasingly looking like coronavirus relief is not likely to be considered until after the elections on November 3.

NCA and City Clubs Weigh In on Coronavirus Relief

Last week, NCA and 45 city clubs sent a letter to House and Senate leadership urging them to open up the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to 501(c)(7) organizations. The letter highlighted some of the unique challenges city clubs have faced during the pandemic. In addition to being ineligible for the PPP, many clubs have not been able to avail themselves of the employee retention tax credit (ERTC) due to ongoing operational obstacles and minimal demand.

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Washington Weekly Update is a benefit of your NCA membership. If you have any questions, would like further information on these or any other issues affecting the club industry or would like to get more involved with our advocacy efforts, please contact me at [email protected] or 202-822-9822.

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