ABL Update: The Latest Industry News from Washington BY JOHN BODNOVICH, ABL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
B
efore I get into an update on Congress, the federal government and what American Beverage Licensees (ABL) have been working on for you, I want to take a moment to salute the TLW leaders and members who successfully led the legal charge in the fight for members’ businesses and livelihoods. Increasingly, battles in our industry are taking place in courtrooms, in addition to the Legislature. ABL has become familiar with this phenomenon at a federal level, and I can appreciate the time and costs of what it takes to engage the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The TLW brief was an important and powerful document, and successfully represented the interests of TLW members. It is a great reminder of the scope and value of membership in the TLW. I also want to commend TLW executive director Pete Madland, TLW president Chris Marsicano and others who have been instrumental in launching the Communities Helping Empower Employers to Remain Successful (C.H.E.E.R.S.) Wisconsin charitable fund to help TLW members make it through this public health and economic crisis. Having enjoyed more than one evening over the years in TLW member establishments in Oshkosh, Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay, De Pere, Sturgeon Bay, and other towns large and small around the state, I was proud to personally support C.H.E.E.R.S. and encourage others in our industry to do the same. The local Wisconsin tavern is a cultural institution worth fighting for. Now, onto the madness …
COVID-19 Congress has quite a busy schedule before the House breaks for summer recess on July 31. The social unrest stemming from the death of George Floyd scrambled the political and policy calculus in a significant way. Another COVID-19 relief bill — perhaps the last — may not be considered until the end of July, which is when Congress is usually jostling to clear the decks before its summer break and the start of campaign season. The path to an additional COVID-19 relief package or economic stimulus bill remains unclear, as Congressional Democrats and Republicans remain split on when and how to move legislation. The (relatively) improved recent jobs
20
n
On Premise
n
JULY/AUGUST 2020
numbers bolstered the position of Republicans that more federal spending can wait as state and local economies reopen. For its part, the Administration, via the statements of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, signaled that it is interested in additional federal relief and monetary aid, including increasing the employee retention tax credit to help businesses keep workers on their payrolls. It’s this next and possibly final bill that ABL is working on to make sure that on-premise bars and taverns receive as much assistance as possible to recover from this crisis. Bars and taverns should be able to serve as a key part of the economic engine to bring the American economy back. ABL is working in coalition with other like-minded groups to advance initiatives that would benefit our members. Congressional leadership offices told us that policies with the broadest support — not single-issue, single-group efforts — are what is going to be included in the legislation. It is also worth noting that advocacy or lobbying in the age of COVID-19 is a different beast. Instead of in-person meetings on Capitol Hill, and attending briefings, hearings and markups, there are now Zoom meetings and digital briefings. More comments for the record, coalition letters, and general texting, calling and emailing Congressional staff is a constant. Another wrinkle is that many interest groups are creating a lot of noise by resurrecting long-term legacy issues as everyone tries to shoehorn their pet project into COVID-19 legislation. ABL pushed for and was pleased to see the passage of the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, which provided Main Street beverage alcohol businesses with greater flexibility and a more realistic timeframe to use the program as intended. This law provides ABL members who borrowed Paycheck Protection Program funds (or are considering borrowing Paycheck Protection Program funds) with a better situation for their businesses and employees. There are also other priorities that ABL is working on for its members. For example, ABL is advocating for the following administrative policies: • The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to approve retailers returning products to wholesalers due to COVID-19. • The Department of the Treasury and/or Small Business Administration to allow small gaming businesses to be eligible for Paycheck Protection Program loans, allow 501(c) organizations like ABL and the TLW eligibility www.tlw.org
