On The Hill

Boeing Tariffs Late this week, two European Union (EU) diplomats said EU trade ministers are planning to approve retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. over the Airbus-Boeing dispute on Monday (Nov. 9). The European Commission can technically make the call alone; however it also wants the backing from EU countries. Earlier this year, Brussels won a…

Jobs Report On Friday (Nov. 6), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in the month of October 638,000 jobs were added and the unemployment rate fell to 6.9 percent. The analysis found job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, retail trade, and construction. Notably, there was a loss in…

PRF Phase 3 Application Deadline Today The deadline for providers to apply for funds from the Provider Relief Fund’s (PRF) Phase 3 general allocation is today (Nov. 6). For information on eligibility requirements, click here. To apply, click here.   McConnells Indicates End of Year Relief Package Senate Majority Leader McConnell said Wednesday (Nov. 4)…

COVID-19 Relief Negotiations over a COVID-19 stimulus package stalled once again this week. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) wrote a letter to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Thursday (Oct. 29) and said she was “still awaiting” replies from the White House on multiple items of “critical importance.” Mnuchin responded and said Pelosi was misrepresenting the…

GFSEC Update This week, the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity (GFSEC) members held a virtual meeting organized by co-chairs South Korea and the European Union. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to confront the downturn in steel demand. Additionally, they urged G20 leaders to address global excess capacity in steel production. The virtual meeting resulted…

Trump Signs Conservation Bill On Friday (Oct. 30), President Trump signed S. 3051, America’s Conservation Enhancement Act, into law. The bipartisan package extends some existing conservation programs as well as creates a few new ones.[1] The bill was authored by Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee Chairman John Barrasso (R-WY) and Ranking Member Tom…

Pelosi Outlines Priorities in Weekly Presser With the election only days away, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) discussed upcoming House priorities during a press conference on Thursday (Oct. 29). Pelosi said she hopes a COVID-19 relief package will be passed in the lame duck session following the election, and explained the House will likely start…

Final Presidential Debate The final U.S. 2020 presidential debate was held on Thursday, October 22, in Nashville, TN. President Donald Trump and former Vice-President Joe Biden offered different visions for the next four years. Trump and Biden discussed various energy-related issues, including the future of the oil and gas industry, environmental justice, fracking, climate change,…

Congress Pelosi/Mnuchin Negotiations House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said they have made progress this week to reach a deal on a stimulus package before the election. As of Friday (Oct. 23) morning, Pelosi said she was waiting to hear back from committees on policy negotiations. Throughout this week, Pelosi and…

Steel & Aluminum Steel Overcapacity On Wednesday (Oct. 21), a coalition of international steel industry associations, organized by the American Iron and Steel Institute and its European Counterpart Eurofer, issued a joint statement that called for action by governments of steel-producing economies to escalate efforts to stem steel overcapacity through the Global Forum on Steel…