This week the Senate returns from a two week, COVID-19 forced recess. The Senate Judiciary Committee has been in session working on the Supreme Court nomination hearings, but the full Senate has been out since the end of September. Senate Majority Leader McConnell (R-KY) has indicated that he intends to bring a smaller, $500 billion relief package up for a vote on the Senate floor. The package includes unemployment assistance, more money for schools and health care, and new funding for the Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses. The smaller measure will also contain liability protections so businesses, schools and health care providers that follow the appropriate health precautions can't be sued if people get sick. The bill is not expected to become law.

At the same time, Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) has continued negotiations with Treasury Secretary Mnuchin on a larger relief package. The President has expressed his willingness to sign another large relief package, but the negotiations have been slow going and not much real progress has been made. With the election just over two weeks away, it does not appear that both sides will be able to come to an agreement. WineAmerica has continued to advocate for the following items to be included in the package:

• Enact a permanent extension of the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (H.R. 1175/S.362)
  
  
• Support the RESTAURANTS Act, which creates a revitalization fund for eligible food service establishments to keep workers employed, maintain operations, and meet financial obligations.
  
  
• Replenish funding, reopen applications, and offer expanded flexibility for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL) administered by the Department of Treasury and Small Business Administration. 
  
  
• Create temporary tax incentives that encourage consumers to return to on-premise dining and drinking establishments once public health officials determine it is safe to do so. 
  
  
• Encourage the Administration to work with our trading partners to simultaneously suspend tariffs on beer, wine, distilled spirits products, and our supply chain partners and reduce trade barriers on the agriculture and food sector.
  
  
• Defer all federal excise tax obligations on domestic and imported alcohol products through December 31, 2020. 

WineAmerica will continue to advocate for these priorities to be included in any relief package, whether it is in the next two weeks, or during a lame-duck congressional session. Speaker Pelosi has set a Tuesday deadline for any negotiations with the White House.

WineAmerica has put together a Covid-19 resource page on our website, which can be accessed here: https://wineamerica.org/covid-19/

As the only national winery association, WineAmerica relies on membership dues to pursue the advocacy work shaping the American wine industry in Washington, D.C. If you are not already a member, consider joining at www.wineamerica.org/membership. Questions? Contact Tara Good at tgood@wineamerica.org.