Dave M. Finklang, CPA/CGMA, MBA, tax partner at Anders, has been named a Best Accountant in St. Louis by Small Business Monthly (SBM). Each month, SBM polls readers and asks them to help identify the best in the region in… Read More

The post Anders Partner Dave Finklang Named a Best St. Louis Accountant appeared first on Anders CPAs.

Giving back is part of our social responsibility and corporate culture at Anders, and we proudly support local charitable, civic, community and trade organizations. The Anders Community Impact Report takes an in-depth look at our commitment, connections and involvement in… Read More

The post Anders Releases Annual Community Impact Report appeared first on Anders CPAs.

As a firm, we strive to inspire people to be the best they can be, both personally and professionally. To help empower our employees’ overall health and well-being, each year Anders has a Wellness Initiative that focuses on helping improve… Read More

The post How Anders is Focused on a New Decade of Wellness in 2020 appeared first on Anders CPAs.

In light of the unprecedented changes happening in higher education, we want to accommodate students in any way possible to provide opportunity for career experience. With that being said, Anders is offering a Virtual Interview Day for potential Discover Anders… Read More

The post Join Us at Discover Anders – Virtual Interview Day on April 15 appeared first on Anders CPAs.

I’ve written about my love of seascapes, but I truly love landscapes too, especially ones that have a vintage vibe when they’re enlarged on a canvas or a big frame. Landscapes have that power to transport you outdoors and to another place, something we could all use a little more of right now. :) I’m

Remember when we used to take airplanes to far away places and stand next to hundreds of strangers all looking at famous sights? I miss that, and I bet you do too. My favorite thing is exploring a new city or country but like so many I’m unable to do it anytime soon. I’ve got

Do the new Distress Oxide colors have you asking “what is the difference between the original Distress ink and new Distress Oxide ink?” Let’s test it!

7:30 to 10 a.m., Thursday, March 14, 2013
The Charles F. Knight Education and Conference Center
at Washington University
One Bookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130
REGISTER NOW!
What is the future of 401(k)s?  A nationally-recognized expert in employer-sponsored retirement,… Read More

The post Navigating the 2013 Regulatory Landscape for 401(k)s appeared first on Anders CPAs.

ST. LOUIS, March 18, 2013 – Anders has been named to Accounting Today’s “Beyond the Top 100: Firms to Watch” list.  Anders also made the “Top Firms: Midwest” for the eighth year in a row.
The lists appear in a… Read More

The post Anders Named a “Firm to Watch” appeared first on Anders CPAs.

In 2020, there are several updates to various payroll tax withholding limits, including Social Security tax and 401(k) elective deferrals. For employees, minimum wage is increasing in Missouri and Illinois. Below we highlight any payroll tax and withholding updates or… Read More

The post 2020 Payroll Tax and Withholdings Update appeared first on Anders CPAs.

Federal and state tax credits and incentives can help fund new business ventures and offset project expenses, saving your company time and money. Whether your company is adding jobs, investing in new technology or expanding its footprint to additional locations, there are credits designed to help fund these projects. Below we have outlined relevant tax...

The post A Guide to Tax Credits and Incentives for Missouri Businesses appeared first on Anders CPA.

The Situation Samantha Rudolph and her husband, Jared, received an Arch Grant in 2015 to take their company, Babyation, founded on their proprietary redesign of an improved breast pump, to the next level. Fantastically, a cadre of vendors comes with the award—St. Louis companies that volunteer their time and talents to help startups navigate everything...

The post Collaboration and Strategic Startup Advice: the Perfect Fit for Babyation appeared first on Anders CPA.

AP Photo/Evan Vucci

• More than a dozen people who may work near President Trump and Vice President Pence have tested positive for the coronavirus this week.
• On Friday, Pence's press secretary Katie Miller tested positive for the virus. Eleven Secret Service agents have also tested positive for COVID-19, along with one of President Trump's valets. Ivanka Trump's assistant has also caught the coronavirus, but that person has been working remotely for weeks. 
• Because the virus spreads easily when people are in close contact, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges anyone who's been exposed to someone who's caught the coronavirus to stay home for 14 days.
• FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, who worked with Miller recently, said he'll stay home for the next two weeks, but the President and Vice President remain out and about. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The coronavirus arrived at the White House this week.

Vice President Mike Pence's Press Secretary, Katie Miller, tested positive for the virus on Friday. 

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

See Also:

• The US taught the world public health. Now it's getting schooled.
• New research found coronavirus antibodies in over 99% of recovered patients. Here's what science says about immunity.
• The CDC is warning of potential measles outbreaks as kids miss getting vaccines while in lockdown

Jorge Silva/Reuters

• As some countries have started to lift their lockdown measures, public places have been making changes to adapt to government-issued social distancing measures. 
• More public places are using tape, floor markers and plastic dividers to help people comply with social distancing guidelines. 
• Photos show how people are trying to adapt to a new way of life during the coronavirus pandemic.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

As some countries begin to lift their coronavirus lockdown measures, public places have been getting creative to adjust to social distancing guidelines.

From waiters wearing personal protective equipment to schools using plastic dividers between children, these photos show the world is adjusting to life under the coronavirus pandemic.

As countries begin to slowly lift their lockdown measures, many changes have to be made to public life in an effort to prevent second waves of COVID-19.

One of the places that have to adapt the most is restaurants. Some have been coming up with creative ways to enforce social distancing measures, including putting up dividers on tables.

But in some places, a plastic divider is not enough. Diners in this Bangkok restaurant, for example, have been asked to sit diagonally from each other to maximize their distance.

See Also:

• Shanghai Disneyland cast members told to wear face masks and avoid guest contact ahead of next week's reopening as China emerges from pandemic
• A West Virginia worker told us what it was like living at his factory for 28 days to help make PPE, and says he would 'absolutely' do another 'lock-in' to help
• These photos show thousands flocking to New York's parks over the weekend after Mayor de Blasio said that good weather 'is very much a threat to us'

SEE ALSO: LA's skies are smog-free and peacocks are roaming the streets of Dubai. Photos show how nature has returned to cities shut down by the coronavirus pandemic.

Matthew DeBord/Insider

• I tested a roughly $33,000 Polaris Slingshot R, a three-wheeled "autocycle."
• The three-wheeler category includes vehicles from Can-Am and Harley-Davidson, offering a motorcycle experience in a less demanding package.
• My Slingshot R had a new, Polaris-developed, 203-horsepower engine and an automatic transmission.
• In all but three US states, no motorcycle license is required to operate the Slingshot (New York, Massachusetts, and Alaska continue to require the motorcycle certification).
• The Slingshot is insanely fun, with a modest learning curve — it's a great alternative to a two-wheeler, although the price is definitely steep for the Slingshot R.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Motorcycles are cool, but they aren't for everybody. Fortunately, there are some alternatives out there that offer an equally compelling, open-air experience.

One of the most popular is the the Polaris Slingshot, manufactured by the Minnesota-based powersports company. Until recently, Slingshots were available only with manual transmissions and GM-sourced engines, but for 2020, Polaris has updated the autocycle with an in-house motor and an automatic.

The automatic transmission in particular really broadens the Slingshot's potential. So I was excited to sample the machine, which I first saw about five years ago.

Polaris was kind enough to loan me a tester for a few weeks. Here's how it went:

The Polaris Slingshot is a three-wheeled autocycle/motorcycle that Polaris industries has produced since 2014. My 2020 Slingshot R tester cost about $33,000 and was outfitted in a menacing red-and-black paint job.

The cheapest Slingshot is about $20,000.

This wasn't my first crack at a Slingshot. Polaris brought the vehicle to Insider's New York offices when the vehicle first launched.

And I generally have a gander at the Slingshot when I visit the annual New York motorcycle show.

See Also:

• All the coolest features of every Tesla vehicle ever made or unveiled, ranked
• Here are 20 cars you can drive off the lot new for less than $20,000
• How Tesla's cargo capacity stacks up against other iconic front trunks in the car industry: From Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini, and more

FOLLOW US: On Facebook for more car and transportation content!

Lisa Eadicicco/Business Insider

• The $400 iPhone SE stands out for its fast performance, compact design, and effective camera.
• Still, the iPhone SE is lacking some of the camera features found on similarly priced Android rivals.
• Overall, the phone is best suited for Apple loyalists upgrading from an older device like the iPhone 6S that want something affordable and familiar.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Apple's iPhone SE is unlike any iPhone Apple has released in the past two years. In fact, it looks a lot more like the the iPhone you probably remember from 2017 and earlier, back when iPhones still had home buttons and smaller-sized screens.

I switched from the $1,000 iPhone 11 Pro to Apple's new iPhone SE recently, and overall I've found it to be a solid option for Apple fans looking for a cheap, portable device. The smaller and lighter size is easy to manage and operate with one hand, and Touch ID brings some convenience that Face ID can lack. 

But of course, since it's significantly cheaper than the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro, it's lacking in some areas. It doesn't have an ultra-wide-angle camera or low-light photography capabilities, for example, even though similarly priced Android devices offer some of those features.

After spending a couple of weeks with Apple's cheapest iPhone, here are my favorite (and least favorite) things about it.  

The iPhone SE runs on Apple's latest iPhone processor, which makes it feel snappy and fast.

The iPhone SE runs on Apple's A3 Bionic processor, the same chip that powers the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro. As a result, the iPhone SE feels snappy and fast in daily use.

I found this to be especially true when switching from my old iPhone 8 to the SE. In most cases, it was able to launch apps, render 4K video clips, and find surfaces more quickly in augmented reality than Apple's more-than-two-year-old iPhone 8.

That being said, the iPhone SE is pretty similar to the iPhone 8 in just about every other way, save for a few exceptions. It's best suited for those upgrading from an iPhone 7 or older. 

The A13 Bionic is the major advantage the iPhone SE has over similarly-priced Android phones, many of which may offer more sophisticated cameras but run on less powerful processors. 

It's small and compact, which means it's easier to use with one hand and fit into pockets.

The iPhone SE is the most compact iPhone Apple has released in years. It has a 4.7-inch screen just like the iPhone 8, and weighs noticeably less than the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro.

The iPhone SE weighs 5.22 ounces, while the iPhone 11 weighs 6.84 ounces and the iPhone 11 Pro weighs 6.63 ounces. 

It's also the only iPhone Apple sells that comes with a Touch ID home button.

Although I've grown accustomed to swiping up from the home screen to return home and unlocking my phone just by looking at it, I've really appreciated having Touch ID again.

Apple's fingerprint sensor sometimes works a bit faster than Face ID in my experience when unlocking my phone. And since Face ID works best when held directly in front of your face, I often have to physically pick up my phone to unlock it when using the iPhone 11 Pro. 

With the iPhone SE, by comparison, I can unlock my phone just by resting a finger on the home button without having to move the device. It's a small convenience, but one that I've come to appreciate.

See Also:

• Dock workers in Belgium are wearing monitoring bracelets that enforce social distancing — here's how they work
• How to restart a game on your iPhone and clear the app’s data in iCloud
• Apple has started reopening some stores, and precautions like temperature checks could be a sign of what shopping will look like after the pandemic

SEE ALSO: Apple is expected to release a new Apple Watch this fall — here are the features we want to see

Aaron Lavinsky/Star Tribune via Getty Images

• Diagnostic or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests are currently being used to diagnose patients with COVID-19.
  
  
• Antibody tests allow for more accurate tracking of the spread of the coronavirus. People who test positive for coronavirus antibodies can also donate plasma.
• Antigen testing is not on the market yet, but Massachusetts-based E25Bio is among several companies seeking FDA approval for at-home test kits.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

With new information released all the time, it can be difficult to keep track of how doctors are testing for the coronavirus. 

While identifying and treating infected patients is critical, some tests add to our greater understanding of the pandemic's size, impact, and direction. Here is a breakdown of the differences between diagnostic, antibody, and antigen testing.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: 'I'm not going to sit up here and pretend like it's a joke': 3 coronavirus patients share their stories from quarantine

See Also:

• Experts predict chaos and crime during coronavirus vaccine rollout
• Experts weigh in on how much a dose of a successful coronavirus vaccine could cost
• A New Zealand healthcare worker describes the unique stress of waiting for waves of coronavirus cases to hit when so far they haven't

Lisa Larkin MD & Associates

• Ultrawealthy and sometimes asymptomatic Americans are using concierge doctors to access COVID-19 tests amid a nationwide shortage.
• The doctors, whose monthly fees can range up to $10,000 a month and don't accept insurance, can offer coronavirus antibody test results in as little as two hours; results for the general public can take days.
• Even some concierge doctors question the ethics of offering tests to their wealthy clientele that aren't available to the general public.
• Both concierge doctors and their clients told Business Insider that America's health care system is dysfunctional, and that patients are healthier operating outside it.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Jamie Gerdsen, the 46-year-old CEO of Cincinnati-based construction company Apollo Home, wanted his 200 employees to know how seriously he was taking the coronavirus pandemic. To prove it, he decided to get tested in April. 

For Gerdsen, the process was simple. All he had to do was call his doctor, set up an appointment time for him and his wife, and get to his doctor's drive-through testing center. At the center, they showed their IDs, answered a few questions, and got their fingers pricked, all without getting out of their car. The results came into Gerdsen's email inbox two hours later. 

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: We tested a machine that brews beer at the push of a button

See Also:

• Airbnb has laid off 25% of its staff. Meet CEO Brian Chesky, who cofounded the company in 2008 to help pay his San Francisco apartment's rent and is now worth $4.1 billion.
• Here's how the 1% are getting their booze during the pandemic, from wine concierge services to online premium liquor retailers that sell $10,000 bottles of whiskey
• Elon Musk and Grimes just welcomed their baby boy. Here's how the eccentric CEO makes and spends his $38.2 billion fortune.

SEE ALSO: 

DON'T MISS: 

Business Insider Intelligence

• This is a preview of The Payments Ecosystem research report from Business Insider Intelligence.
• Purchase this report.
• Business Insider Intelligence offers even more consumer coverage with Payments & Commerce Pro. Subscribe today to receive industry-changing payments and commerce news and analysis to your inbox.

The power dynamics in the payments industry are changing as businesses and consumers shift dollars from cash and checks to digital payment methods. Cards dominate the in-store retail channel, but mobile wallets like Apple Pay are seeing a rapid uptick in usage.

At the same time, e-commerce will chip away at brick-and-mortar retail as smartphones attract a rising share of digital shopping. Digital peer-to-peer (P2P) apps are supplanting cash in the day-to-day lives of users across generations as they become more appealing and useful than ever.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

See Also:

• Xinja cut its Stash high-yield savings account rate, likely attempting to weather the current crisis
• PayPal's slowdown began to improve in April as stay-at-home orders tick up e-commerce usage
• Jobs for thousands of young consultants are being upended. From delaying start dates to cutting internships, here's what 8 top firms, like Deloitte and McKinsey, are doing.

More contractors go bankrupt due to cash flow than they do because of profitability. Given the unprecedented events of COVID-19, the construction industry is particularly prone to major cash flow issues that could easily bankrupt your business. During this webinar session we will address critical cash flow considerations. This webinar is co-hosted by NECA and the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA). The presenter is Michael McLin, Managing Director at Maxim Consulting Group responsible for leading several service line teams within the firm.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued interim enforcement guidance to help combat supply shortages of disposable N95 facepiece respirators (N95 FFRs). This is the latest step to ensure availability of respirators. More information at the USDOL website.

This Small Entity Compliance Guide (SECG) is intended to help small businesses comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Respiratory Protection standard (63 FR 1152; January 8, 1998). OSHA’s goal for this document is to provide small entities with a comprehensive step-by-step guide complete with checklists and commonly asked questions that will aid both employees and employers in small businesses with a better understanding of OSHA’s respiratory protection standard.

Meeting planning in the face of COVID-19 can be very stressful. None of us are in control and no one can predict what is going to happen moving forward. The most important thing is to be patient. Do not make rash decisions, weigh all of your options and contact NECA National Staff if you need absolutely anything. If you can, try and look at meetings 30 days at a time because the news is changing daily and this can make a difference with your contract clauses.

The U.S. General Services Administration has issued an order to accept e-signatures for surety bonds to allow infrastructure projects to move forward.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today announced an interim enforcement response plan for the coronavirus pandemic. The response plan provides instructions and guidance to OSHA Area Offices and compliance safety and health officers (CSHOs) for handling coronavirus-related complaints, referrals, and severe illness reports.

The recipients of the 2020 Recognition of Achievement in Safety Excellence and Recognition of Achievement in Zero Injury programs will be posted on the NECA Recognition of Safety Achievement Program website in the near future. There were 159 Recognition of Achievement in Safety Excellence and 90 Recognition of Achievement in Zero Injury winners for 2020. These recipients will each receive plaques commemorating their accomplishment and be recognized during a session at the 10th Annual NSPC in Chicago, IL later this year. Thank you to all the companies that submitted their applications and continue to strive for Safety Excellence and Zero Injuries in the Electrical Industry.

NECA is sponsoring a safety stand down on April 29 to recognize the many electricians and utility workers have been deemed essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and continue to go to work each day and make sacrifices to better our country.  Take part and share a note or photo with #NECASafety, and on NECA’s LinkedIn and Facebook accounts. Please share the number of workers who participated with safety@necanet.org so we can feature this in the future. Material for your safety stand down can be found below at the NECA Coronavirus Resource Center.   

In light of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, OSHA understands that some employers may face difficulties complying with OSHA standards due to the ongoing health emergency. Business closures and other restrictions and limitations may also preclude employee participation in training even when trainers are available. In other situations, access to medical testing facilities may be limited or suspended.

The U.S. Department of Labor announced that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released a new video and poster for employers and workers on how to properly wear and remove a respirator. The video and poster – in English and Spanish – demonstrate and describe seven steps every worker should follow when putting on and taking off a respirator.

The NBA recently submitted a formal proposal to its Player’s Association to lower the draft eligibility age from 19 to 18. This move to end the “one and done” era, requiring that players spend at least one season in college… Read More

The post The End of the One and Done Age Limit for the NBA appeared first on Anders CPAs.

Most kids spend countless hours playing video games in their free time, but for some this hobby could potentially turn into a career. eSports and video game streaming have become a multibillion-dollar industry, drawing sponsorships from companies like Procter and… Read More

The post The Newest Athletes: eSports Gamers and Video Game Streamers appeared first on Anders CPAs.

There has been a lot of buzz about tax reform changes and how they will affect companies in the coming tax years. Some of these changes include the reduction of the corporate and individual tax rates, the repeal of the… Read More

The post Tax Reform for Businesses: Tax Rates and AMT for C-Corporations appeared first on Anders CPAs.

To fill a void of relevant benchmarking data, Anders and our accounting association, the Leading Edge Alliance (LEA), have launched the third annual National Manufacturing Outlook Survey, and we are requesting participation. Created specifically for privately-held manufacturers, this is the… Read More

The post Anders and LEA Launch National Benchmarking Survey for Manufacturers appeared first on Anders CPAs.

The new revenue recognition standard includes important provisions that manufacturers need to be aware of. Effective 1/1/2019 for private companies with calendar year ends, the new standards will change the way manufacturing companies recognize revenue.
Variable Consideration
Manufacturing companies will… Read More

The post How the New Revenue Recognition Standard Will Impact Manufacturers appeared first on Anders CPAs.

Finnish mobile studio Dazzle Rocks has secured $6.8 million in Series A funding to boost development on its unnamed social sandbox MMO. ...

When Singapore gained its independence they went on a mission to re-house the population from densely-packed thatched roof huts into giant concrete skyscrapers. In 1960, they formed the Housing and Development Board, or HDB, and just five years later they had already housed 400,000 people! In Singapore, where land is scarce, it’s not unlikely for apartment buildings to be built on top of land that was graveyards not too long ago. But building on top of a graveyard has its complications.

Life and Death in Singapore

Sand is so tiny and ubiquitous that it's easy to take for granted. But in his book The World in a Grain, author Vince Beiser traces the history of sand, exploring how it fundamentally shaped the world as we know it. "Sand is actually the most important solid substance on Earth," he argues. "It's the literal foundation of modern civilization."

Plus, Roman talks with Kate Simonen of the Carbon Leadership Forum at the University of Washington about measuring the embodied carbon in building materials.

Built on Sand

This is the newly updated story of a curvy, kidney-shaped swimming pool born in Northern Europe that had a huge ripple effect on popular culture in Southern California and landscape architecture in Northern California, and then the world. A documentary in three parts with a brand new update about how this episode resulted in a brand new skate park in a very special city.

The Pool and the Stream Redux

There are symbols all around us that we take for granted, like the lightning strike icon, which indicates that something is high voltage. Or a little campfire to indicate that something is flammable. Those icons are pretty obvious, but there are others that aren't so straightforward. Like, why do a triangle and a stick in a circle indicate "peace"? Where does the smiley face actually come from? Or the power symbol? We sent out the 99PI team to dig into the backstory behind some of those images you see every day.

Ubiquitous Icons: Peace, Power, and Happiness

The long-awaited return of Smart Stuff with Justin and Roman, featuring Justin McElroy and Roman Mars.

Make your mark. Go to radiotopia.fm to donate today.

Everyone should listen to My Brother, My Brother, and Me on the Max Fun Network.

The only truly accurate map of the world would be a map the size of the world. So if you want a map to be useful, something you can hold in your hands, you have to start making choices. We have to choose what information we're interested in, and what we're throwing out. Those choices influence how the person reading the map views the world. But a map’s influence doesn’t end there, maps can actually *shape *the place they’re trying to represent and that’s where things get weird.

Map Quests

Download our recorded webinar to hear from the Anders CARES Act Research and Response Team on the details of PPP loan forgiveness and the newest stimulus package update, including: Loan forgiveness calculations based on current guidelines How to maximize your loan forgiveness Loan forgiveness for self employed individuals Updates on the various stimulus programs based...

The post RECORDED WEBINAR: PPP Loan Forgiveness and Stimulus Updates appeared first on Anders CPA.

The Anders CARES Act Team, made up of Anders advisors across different departments of the firm, has teamed up with KSDK 5 on Your Side to answer questions from viewers about CARES Act benefits. From stimulus check updates to SBA loan eligibility, Anders will be answering questions individuals and businesses need to know. To submit...

The post Anders CARES Act Team Answers Viewer Questions on KSDK appeared first on Anders CPA.

Anders tax partner Dave M. Finklang, CPA/CGMA, MBA and tax supervisor Rebekah J. Tucker, CPA have been selected to join the St. Louis Small Business Task Force. Founded by Erin Joy, CEO of Black Dress Circle, the Task Force is a new initiative to bring together leaders from varied industries to clearly define and address...

The post Dave Finklang and Rebekah Tucker Named to St. Louis Small Business Task Force appeared first on Anders CPA.

1. NECA Wins in Year-End Funding Bills

On December 17, 2019, Congress passed two funding bills, H.R. 1158, FY2020 Consolidated National Security Appropriations Package and H.R. 1865, FY2020 Consolidated Domestic and International Assistance Package, both resulting in big wins for NECA contractors.

NECA’s Look Ahead: In addition to ensuring the full operation of the federal government for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2020, several of NECA’s top legislative priorities were included:

• Full repeal of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) 40 percent “Cadillac Tax”

• Allowing 529 savings accounts to be used for costs associated with Department of Labor (DOL) registered apprenticeship programs

• Seven-year reauthorization of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program

• Extension of the National Flood Insurance Program

• Full repeal of health insurance tax (HIT) and the medical device excise tax

• Seven-year authorization of the U.S. Export-Import Bank

• An extension of 179D energy efficiency tax deduction retrospectively from 2017 and prospectively through 2020

• $1 billion for Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grants

Summaries of the package can be found below:

Full Package Summary – H.R. 1158

Full Package Summary – H.R. 1865

Division Q – Summary (Revenue Provision Amendment)

2. USMCA Passes the House

On December 19, 2019, the House passed, in a 385 to 41 vote, the NECA-supported United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), H.R. 5430, to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

NECA’s Look Ahead: Now that the USMCA has passed the House, it will move to the Senate. Under the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), the bill procedurally spends up to 15 legislative session days in the Senate Finance Committee. Then, there are up to 15 session days for the Senate to vote on the floor. With Impeachment Articles passed from the House taking precedent, USMCA is unlikely to see a Senate vote any time before late February.

3. Impeachment Update

On December 18, 2019, the House of Representatives took up impeachment procedure and  passed H. Res. 755 – “Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors” by a vote of  230 – 197, 1 for Article I and by a vote of 229 – 197, 1 for Article II.

NECA’s Look Ahead: It remains unclear when the two articles of impeachment will reach the Senate. When they do arrive to the Senate, it is expected that the Senate will begin the trail immediately.  

NECA's top three legislative items for the week of January 6, 2020.

On January 22, 2020, members of the Long Island Chapter NECA met with Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.)

Last week, members of NECA’s Long Island Chapter met with Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.)

NECA Government Affairs top three for the week of February 7, 2020.

1. Hearing on Expanding the Family and Medical Leave Act

On Tuesday, February 11, 2020, the Workforce Protections Subcommittee held a hearing to discuss the issue of paid family leave. This hearing examined the different ways that the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) could be updated to best benefit employees, employers, and the American economy. Among suggested updates are expanding eligibilty under the FMLA, reducing exclusions, promoting tax cuts to businesses that provide paid leave, and increasing employee access to additional paid leave options.

NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA will continue to monitor this issue as different solutions to paid family and medical leave are presented, working with legislators to reduce the impact on the electrical construction industry. 

2. President Trump Releases Budget Proposal to Congress 

On March 11, 2019, President Donald Trump released his budget proposal to Congress, “A Budget for America’s Future”. The budget and detailed summaries are found here. 

NECA’s Look Ahead: The President’s budget in its current form will not be passed by Congress to become law. The budget is largely seen as a political document. Regarding government funding, the House is expected to introduce the twelve appropriations bills in Subcommittee by the end of April, with the full committee hearings expected in May. The goal is to pass the twelve bills through the House by July. The Senate is expected to pass their version in June.

3. Your Vote Counts!

The 2020 state primary elections are coming up, so be sure to make your vote count! NECA contractors are uniquely positioned to play an important part in our nation's electoral process. NECA is a diverse organization comprised of many voices and election day is your opportunity to make your voice heard.  

NECA’s Look Ahead: Be sure you are registered to vote in your state before election day and research the candidates on your ballot to see where they stand on issues important to you.