No images? Click here President Biden Signs $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief PackageOn Thursday, March 11, President Biden signed into law the $1.9 trillion pandemic aid package. This legislation provides $1,400 direct payments to taxpayers making up to $75,000 individually or $150,000 per couple. In addition, the bill provides $4 billion to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for food supply chain and agriculture pandemic response. The legislation includes a provision to “make loans and grants and provide other assistance to maintain and improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency,” which could be a unique opportunity for our industry. Contact your Senators! The PRO Act passed the House of Representatives On Tuesday, March 9, the House of Representatives voted to pass the Pro Act by a narrow vote of 225-206. Action is needed now more than ever to help stop this potentially harmful legislation. The PRO Act would undermine worker rights, ensnare employers in unrelated labor disputes, disrupt the economy, and force individual Americans to pay union dues regardless of their wishes. Attention now turns to the Senate. Thanks to the members who have already contacted their elected officials asking them to oppose the PRO Act. Because of those actions, we have been successful in sending nearly 100 letters to Members of Congress highlighting our concerns! If you have not already, we ask you to take action and urge your Senators to oppose the PRO Act! To take action, click HERE. GCCA Leadership Meets with White House Officials on Food Supply Chain On Friday, March 12, GCCA leadership hosted a meeting with the White House Office of Public Liaison to share perspectives on how our industry has responded during the pandemic to maintain the food supply chain and the resulting impacts on our member companies. In addition, we discussed the Food Supply Chain and Agriculture Pandemic Response provisions in the $1.9 trillion COVID Relief Packaged was signed last Thursday. Those provisions provide funds in the form of loans and grants to strengthen the food supply chain and have the potential to provide critical support to you as members who have been working hard to maintain the food supply. OSHA Launches Program To Protect High-Risk Workers From CoronavirusOn Friday, March 12, 2021, in response to the January 21, 2021 Executive Order on Protecting Worker Health and Safety, OSHA issued a COVID-19 National Emphasis Program (NEP) to ensure that employees in high hazard industries or work tasks are protected from COVID-19 hazards. The program also prioritizes employers that retaliate against workers for complaints about unsafe or unhealthy conditions, or for exercising other rights protected by federal law. GCCA Hosts Monthly COVID-19 Webinar SeriesAs developments continue to unfold in response to the spread of COVID-19, we know many in the cold chain industry have questions about implications in the workplace, government actions and funding options to help bolster your businesses. Please join us on Thursday, March 18 for our monthly COVID-19 Webinar Series. To register, click HERE. Call to Action: Nominate a Cold Chain Champion Do you have a colleague who you believe performs exceptional work and deserves special recognition? We are highlighting our members and their achievements on social media. Nominate yourself, your company, or your colleague for a chance to be spotlighted as a #ColdChainChampion! Submit nominations, a short explanation, and a photo to Rachael Oury at roury@gcca.org. GCCA Launches Advocacy CenterGCCA has launched a new Advocacy Center as part of the association’s expanded advocacy efforts. This new platform will enable GCCA members to engage with their elected officials to promote and protect the industry. All GCCA members are encouraged to SUBSCRIBE to the new Advocacy Center program to receive the latest on policy developments and grassroots campaigns. Advocacy Fund Established to Support Enhanced ServicesGCCA has established a new strategic initiative, the Advocacy Fund, to expand our advocacy efforts on behalf of our industry. This Advocacy Fund will support our increased efforts to promote and protect the cold chain. Members are urged to consider making financial contributions to support these expanded advocacy efforts. To learn more about the Fund or about how you can contribute click here or please contact Lowell Randel. |