President Donald Trump announced that talks between his administration and Congress have come to a halt and will not resume until after the election.
In a tweet, the President said “I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when, immediately after I win, we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hard-working Americans and Small Business.”
Nancy Pelosi is asking for $2.4 Trillion Dollars to bailout poorly run, high crime, Democrat States, money that is in no way related to COVID-19. We made a very generous offer of $1.6 Trillion Dollars and, as usual, she is not negotiating in good faith. I am rejecting their…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 6, 2020
The announcement comes in contrast to recommendations made by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H Powell, who noted in a speech earlier today that economic stimulus was needed, according to the Washington Post.
The U.S. Travel Association, which had been working diligently to secure more assistance from the government, reacted with disappointment.
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CEO Roger Dow issued the following statement regarding the end of coronavirus relief negotiations:
“Hardworking Americans whose livelihoods depend on travel and tourism cannot wait until after the election for relief. The reality is that small businesses in every pocket of America are shuttering—they needed relief months ago, which has been made clear week after week.
“With millions of Americans suffering, it is woefully shortsighted to end relief negotiations. New data from Tourism Economics shows that, without immediate aid, 50% of all travel-supported jobs will be lost by December—an additional loss of 1.3 million jobs. As travel supported 11% of all pre-pandemic jobs, it is simply not possible for the U.S. to expect a nationwide economic recovery without meaningful federal relief.
“On behalf of America’s travel workers, we are disheartened in the extreme that Congress and the administration failed to reach agreement on the relief this industry so desperately needed, despite clear evidence of mounting harm.
“U.S. Travel will continue advocating for relief for the millions of travel industry workers and small businesses who do so much for our economy.”
The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) has also responded to the news that talks about further COVID-19 relief have been scrapped.
“Against this backdrop of human suffering, extraordinary job loss and millions of small businesses closing, the Administration deciding to abandon relief negations is reprehensible. All businesses in the country have been impacted by COVID-19 in one way or another, but few sectors have been as hard hit, or face a longer road to recovery, than the travel agency industry,” read the statement from ASTA.
“More than nine in 10 travel agencies’ business income is down at least 75 percent, even factoring in the relief programs created by the CARES Act. Close to 64 percent of travel agencies surveyed have laid off at least half their staff. All told, 73 percent of ASTA members predict they will be out of business in six months or less if current conditions hold and additional federal relief is not provided. Travel advisors cannot wait for additional federal aid to come in December 2020 or March 2021.
“We can no longer avoid the conversation surrounding the fact that our own government is not helping where it can and should. Rather—our own government is shirking responsibility and playing an active role bringing the travel industry to its knees.”