Issues
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced the opening of a new direct forgiveness portal for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. This portal will streamline the loan forgiveness process for businesses with loans under $150,000– a total of over 6.5 million businesses in the United States. The portal is set to begin accepting applications…
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework passed a procedural vote in the U.S. Senate last night. The vote was 67-32, with all Senate Democrats voting yes, and 17 Senate Republicans joining them. The framework that was voted on is similar to the plans discussed in previous weeks, with notable cuts to transportation and highway funding. The legislative…
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted 5-0 today to adopt the Policy Statement on Repair Restrictions Imposed by Manufacturers and Sellers. The commission voted during their open commission meeting this afternoon. Earlier this year, the FTC released a report entitled “Nixing the Fix” that addressed repair restrictions in the automotive industry and others that are…
ASA signed on to a letter from the American Alliance for Vehicle Owners Rights (AAVOR) ahead of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) open meeting Wednesday, July 21. The FTC is meeting this week to discuss a policy statement in response to the 2020 “Nixing the Fix” document released by the agency. In the letter, members…
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a July 21 open meeting. On the agenda is: Proposed Policy Statement on Repair Restrictions Imposed by Manufacturers and Sellers: The FTC Act authorizes the Commission to adopt policy statements. The Commission will vote on whether to issue a new policy statement, following the Commission’s “Nixing the Fix” report which was unanimously…
Marty Walsh, the Secretary of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) spoke in front of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and related agencies regarding the FY 2022 budget for the U.S. Department of Labor. In his submitted statement, the secretary noted that the Department of Labor’s worker…
President Joe Biden signed an executive order this afternoon aimed at promoting competition in the United States economy. Included in this executive order is a directive to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to address right to repair issues for owners of farm equipment and small electronics. The order “encourages the FTC to limit powerful equipment…
To date, 37 states have legalized medical or recreational cannabis use for adults. However, testing for drugged driving has remained negligent, which is correlated to an increase in accidents involving impaired drivers. THC can remain in a person’s system for weeks after use, which means there is no real-time test to determine the “intoxication” level…