By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The United Steelworkers union has filed antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) petitions on certain passenger vehicles and light truck tires from southeast Asia. The petitions cite dumping margins as high as 195% for Korea, 147% for Taiwan, 217% for Thailand and 33% for Vietnam. The petitions also allege certain government subsidies benefitting Vietnamese tire producers. The petitions have been filed with the U.S. Department of Commerce to determine whether dumping and illegal subsidies are occurring and the U.S. International Trade Commission to confirm whether there is harm or threatened harm to U.S. industry.

In a separate action, the Commerce Department has self-initiated a circumvention inquiry involving stainless steel products from China that are completed in Vietnam and then exported to the United States. The Commerce Department alleges that shipments of stainless sheet and strip from Vietnam to the United States increased 180% over a previous 40-month time period for calculations. If the agency preliminarily finds that circumvention is occurring, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be directed to collect cash deposits on imports of stainless sheet and strip completed in Vietnam with Chinese-origin inputs.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The United Steelworkers union has filed antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) petitions on certain passenger vehicles and light truck tires from southeast Asia. The petitions cite dumping margins as high as 195% for Korea, 147% for Taiwan, 217% for Thailand and 33% for Vietnam. The petitions also allege certain government subsidies benefitting Vietnamese tire producers. The petitions have been filed with the U.S. Department of Commerce to determine whether dumping and illegal subsidies are occurring and the U.S. International Trade Commission to confirm whether there is harm or threatened harm to U.S. industry.

In a separate action, the Commerce Department has self-initiated a circumvention inquiry involving stainless steel products from China that are completed in Vietnam and then exported to the United States. The Commerce Department alleges that shipments of stainless sheet and strip from Vietnam to the United States increased 180% over a previous 40-month time period for calculations. If the agency preliminarily finds that circumvention is occurring, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be directed to collect cash deposits on imports of stainless sheet and strip completed in Vietnam with Chinese-origin inputs.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Pennsylvania House Committee on State Government passed SEMA-supported legislation that would allow outdoor recreational activities, including motorsports, to resume immediately under certain conditions.

The Pennsylvania House Committee on State Government passed SEMA-supported legislation (H.B. 2489) that would allow outdoor recreational activities, including motorsports, to resume immediately under certain conditions. The bill now awaits consideration by the entire House of Representatives.

Currently, Pennsylvania’s emergency Business Closure Order does not allow any recreational activity businesses, such as spectator sports, to operate. The bill requires such activities to adhere to the social distancing practices and other mitigation measures defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  

For more information and to contact legislators in support of this proposal, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

For details, contact Christian Robinson at stateleg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Pennsylvania House Committee on State Government passed SEMA-supported legislation that would allow outdoor recreational activities, including motorsports, to resume immediately under certain conditions.

The Pennsylvania House Committee on State Government passed SEMA-supported legislation (H.B. 2489) that would allow outdoor recreational activities, including motorsports, to resume immediately under certain conditions. The bill now awaits consideration by the entire House of Representatives.

Currently, Pennsylvania’s emergency Business Closure Order does not allow any recreational activity businesses, such as spectator sports, to operate. The bill requires such activities to adhere to the social distancing practices and other mitigation measures defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  

For more information and to contact legislators in support of this proposal, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

For details, contact Christian Robinson at stateleg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Pennsylvania House Committee on State Government passed SEMA-supported legislation that would allow outdoor recreational activities, including motorsports, to resume immediately under certain conditions.

The Pennsylvania House Committee on State Government passed SEMA-supported legislation (H.B. 2489) that would allow outdoor recreational activities, including motorsports, to resume immediately under certain conditions. The bill now awaits consideration by the entire House of Representatives.

Currently, Pennsylvania’s emergency Business Closure Order does not allow any recreational activity businesses, such as spectator sports, to operate. The bill requires such activities to adhere to the social distancing practices and other mitigation measures defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  

For more information and to contact legislators in support of this proposal, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

For details, contact Christian Robinson at stateleg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Pennsylvania House Committee on State Government passed SEMA-supported legislation that would allow outdoor recreational activities, including motorsports, to resume immediately under certain conditions.

The Pennsylvania House Committee on State Government passed SEMA-supported legislation (H.B. 2489) that would allow outdoor recreational activities, including motorsports, to resume immediately under certain conditions. The bill now awaits consideration by the entire House of Representatives.

Currently, Pennsylvania’s emergency Business Closure Order does not allow any recreational activity businesses, such as spectator sports, to operate. The bill requires such activities to adhere to the social distancing practices and other mitigation measures defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  

For more information and to contact legislators in support of this proposal, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

For details, contact Christian Robinson at stateleg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

SEMA has joined forces with the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) in requesting the U.S. Congress to enact reasonable COVID-19 liability protections for businesses. SEMA members are urged to contact their lawmakers with the same request.

The tort reform measure would provide limited and rationale safe harbors during the current emergency and period of recovery. While not shielding companies from all liability, it would provide tailored protection as businesses act in good faith to follow available guidelines for protecting workers. Lawmakers will be asked to include reasonable tort reform measures as part of the next stimulus relief package to be enacted in the coming weeks.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

SEMA has joined forces with the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) in requesting the U.S. Congress to enact reasonable COVID-19 liability protections for businesses. SEMA members are urged to contact their lawmakers with the same request.

The tort reform measure would provide limited and rationale safe harbors during the current emergency and period of recovery. While not shielding companies from all liability, it would provide tailored protection as businesses act in good faith to follow available guidelines for protecting workers. Lawmakers will be asked to include reasonable tort reform measures as part of the next stimulus relief package to be enacted in the coming weeks.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) still has money available for loans. The two-year SBA loans at a 1% annual interest rate are issued through banks and local lenders. Payments do not begin for 6 months and the SBA will forgive that portion of the loan used to cover payroll, rent, mortgage interest, and utilities for a period of eight weeks if a small business retains its employees and payroll levels. Visit SBA PPP Loans for more information.

The SBA and U.S. Department of the Treasury are under pressure to change certain PPP loan requirements to provide businesses with more flexibility. SEMA and other groups representing small business are advocating for government officials to lower the requirement that businesses spend 75% of the amount forgiven by the SBA on payroll-related costs. It is also important that the federal government extend the time frame that small businesses have to use PPP funds. For example, giving companies the option to start the eight-week clock later as the business is getting closer to full-time work. SEMA also supports extending the period for paying back the loan, from two years to five years. 

The SBA and Treasury Department released the PPP loan forgiveness application and instructions on how borrowers may seek forgiveness of a portion of the loan. The SBA will also soon issue regulations to further assist borrowers as they complete their applications.

The loan forgiveness application and instructions include several measures to reduce compliance burdens, including:

• Options for borrowers to calculate payroll costs using an “alternative payroll covered period” that aligns with borrowers’ regular payroll cycles.
• Flexibility to include eligible payroll and non-payroll expenses paid or incurred during the eight-week period after receiving their PPP loan; and
• An exemption from the loan forgiveness reduction for borrowers who have made a good-faith, written offer to rehire workers that was declined.

In other news, the SBA’s emergency Coronavirus disaster loan assistance program is now limited to U.S. agricultural businesses. Eligibility has been rationed until program funds are replenished by the U.S. Congress. Disaster loans of up to $2 million at 3.75% annual interest can be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that cannot be paid because of the disaster’s impact, with the first $10,000 being a forgivable grant.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) still has money available for loans. The two-year SBA loans at a 1% annual interest rate are issued through banks and local lenders. Payments do not begin for 6 months and the SBA will forgive that portion of the loan used to cover payroll, rent, mortgage interest, and utilities for a period of eight weeks if a small business retains its employees and payroll levels. Visit SBA PPP Loans for more information.

The SBA and U.S. Department of the Treasury are under pressure to change certain PPP loan requirements to provide businesses with more flexibility. SEMA and other groups representing small business are advocating for government officials to lower the requirement that businesses spend 75% of the amount forgiven by the SBA on payroll-related costs. It is also important that the federal government extend the time frame that small businesses have to use PPP funds. For example, giving companies the option to start the eight-week clock later as the business is getting closer to full-time work. SEMA also supports extending the period for paying back the loan, from two years to five years. 

The SBA and Treasury Department released the PPP loan forgiveness application and instructions on how borrowers may seek forgiveness of a portion of the loan. The SBA will also soon issue regulations to further assist borrowers as they complete their applications.

The loan forgiveness application and instructions include several measures to reduce compliance burdens, including:

• Options for borrowers to calculate payroll costs using an “alternative payroll covered period” that aligns with borrowers’ regular payroll cycles.
• Flexibility to include eligible payroll and non-payroll expenses paid or incurred during the eight-week period after receiving their PPP loan; and
• An exemption from the loan forgiveness reduction for borrowers who have made a good-faith, written offer to rehire workers that was declined.

In other news, the SBA’s emergency Coronavirus disaster loan assistance program is now limited to U.S. agricultural businesses. Eligibility has been rationed until program funds are replenished by the U.S. Congress. Disaster loans of up to $2 million at 3.75% annual interest can be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that cannot be paid because of the disaster’s impact, with the first $10,000 being a forgivable grant.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.