Vice Presidential Pool Reports of February 5, 2021

VP pool report #1 — gathering for meeting with Sec. Yellen and Black Chambers of Commerce

Checking in ahead of Vice President Harris' virtual economic roundtable with Treasury Secretary Yellen and local Black Chambers of Commerce, set to be held in the South Court Auditorium at 3pm.

The event will be streamed (link below), but I'll send along relevant color as I spot it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW8ZCh3Ynz4&feature=youtu.be

Some background from VP's office:

• People are hurting right now. Almost 11 million workers remain unemployed since the start of the pandemic, and around 4 million people have been unemployed for six months or longer.
• On Friday - the day the January jobs numbers are released - the Vice President and the Secretary of the Treasury will hold a virtual roundtable with participants from local Black Chambers of Commerce from across the country to discuss the importance of passing the American Rescue Plan. This is President Biden's top legislative priority.

• Local chamber representatives will share on-the-ground experiences during this crisis, ask the Vice President and Secretary questions, and discuss how small businesses in their communities are faring right now – and what they need. The Vice President and the Secretary will be joined by Ron Busby Sr., President and CEO of the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc.

• The ARP, which President Biden unveiled in mid-January, is designed to change the course of the pandemic by funding vaccinations and containing the virus, delivering direct, immediate relief to individuals and families, and supporting struggling businesses and communities. Specific provisions include:
  • Providing $15 billion in grants to the hardest hit small businesses.
  • Fulfilling the President's pledge to finish getting $2,000 checks to Americans.
  • Giving Americans who are out of work through no fault of their own a $400 per week supplement.
  • Mounting a national vaccination program and safely reopening schools – which will put people back to work.

• In particular, Black communities and businesses have been some of the most hard-hit during this crisis.
  • Early on in the pandemic, research showed that Black-owned businesses closed at twice the rate of their White-owned counterparts, and when applications for PPP loans opened up, Black-owned businesses were more likely to be turned away.
  • In just one month, November to December, an estimated 82,000 Black women lost their jobs.

• That's why the Vice President and the Secretary will focus on how the ARP is critically important to helping small businesses get through this crisis – especially in communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. They will also discuss the importance of ensuring equitable growth once we move beyond the crisis.
  • The event Friday builds off a virtual event the Vice President held with NEC Director Brian Deese and small business owners across the country, two days after inauguration.

VP pool report #2 — 2-minute warning for forum

Again, you can follow along here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW8ZCh3Ynz4&feature=emb_title

VP pool report #3 — forum underway

VP and Sec. Yellen entered the auditorium at 3:07pm ET and opened the discussion at 3:08pm ET.

VP's office informed the pool that every Black Chamber of Commerce in the country was invited with more than 140 choosing to participate. I'll send over a rough list as soon as I can count/ID different chapters.

The stage is set up in a similar fashion to the transition briefings held at The Queen in DE... photo for reference: https://twitter.com/TocRadio/status/1357783672619991042

Again, you can follow along via the White House's stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW8ZCh3Ynz4&feature=emb_title

VP pool report #4 — forum concludes

... at 3:55pm ET.

VP and Sec. Yellen fielded four questions after delivering opening remarks. Several questions focused on failures of previous COVID stimulus programs (including Paycheck Protection Program) and how the ARP would differ, specifically in directing funds and support to Black-owned businesses.

The final question centered on "what comes next" in terms of pandemic relief. VP first maintained the need to pass ARP now so that relief can get out to families and small businesses ASAP. She added that proponents of the administration's forthcoming infrastructure push would then allow for both substantial job creation while also giving existing businesses tools to thrive (broadband/internet expansion, transportation improvements et al.)

After the questions, VP stressed to all participants the need to get all Americans vaccinated — "We've got to remind people the vaccines are safe. The vaccines will save lives" — and asked for their help in messaging around vaccine efforts.

List of questioners, per VP's office

— Cathy Adams, President, Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce (Oakland, CA)

— Melvin Coleman, President, Atlanta Black Chamber (Atlanta, GA)

— Kelisha Garrett, Vice President of Operations, Louisiana Chamber of Commerce Foundation (New Orleans, LA)

— Charles O'Neill, President, Texas Association of African American Chamber of Commerce (Dallas, TX)