Speaker Pelosi has set today as the deadline for a deal on a COVID-relief bill prior to the November 3 election. She and Secretary Mnuchin continue to talk and the White House just announced that they support a bigger package than the $2.2 Trillion package the House recently passed. It is unlikely that Senate Republicans will support more than a PPP extension and $500 Billion package they plan to vote on today and tomorrow.
Through all this noise, IAVM members need to keep the pressure on their federal lawmakers to include government owned venues. Please continue tweeting and posting on social platforms. Below are some sample tweets to use:
- The House included public venues in its PPP revisions, Senator (TWITTER HANDLE) please include us in the Senate bill too. #SavePublicVenuesNow
- Seven months of the COVID crisis and no federal assistance. Senator (TWITTER HANDLE) please pass a relief bill that includes publicly owned venues like ours. #SavePublicVenuesNow
- No shows, no crowds, no $$. We need federal help now Senator (TWITTER HANDLE). Pass the House-passed PPP changes that include public venues. #SavePublicVenuesNow
It’s also not too late for direct emails to your members of Congress. Check out the IAVM toolkit for staff emails in every congressional office as well as Twitter handles.
Ask your senators to support the House-passed Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that makes publicly owned venues eligible for the PPP.
Urge for inclusion of the Save Our Stages Act!
Tell the House and Senate to ACT Now to save publicly owned venues!
We need:
- A change to the Paycheck Protection Program that is included in the House Heroes II language to allow publicly owned venues to participate
- Inclusion of a grant program created by the SAVE OUR STAGES Act, S. 4258, but with sports and professional conventions and conferences added so that multi-function public venues can benefit
- Flexibility for state and local funding under the CARES Act to make clear those funds can be spent to cover expenses of public venues
Please don’t delay! Call and email your U.S. representatives and senators urging them not to leave public venues out of the next COVID-19 package. You can use the toolkit for your emails and staff email contacts in each House and Senate office are here.
Thanks for your help to get venues much-needed relief.
