Though Congress will not officially be back in session until September, action is occurring behind the scenes to negotiate a Phase 4 Coronavirus Relief package. Those close to the discussions say that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has indicated willingness to consider a smaller package that would be in place until January 2021 after the Presidential inauguration. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is reportedly drafting a “skinny” bill that includes liability protections for businesses that are following CDC guidelines, supplemental unemployment payments of $300 per week (down from the $600 per week subsidy that ended in July) that would be in effect through the end of 2020, money for contract tracing, and an extension of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) including the opportunity for those who already received a PPP to make a “second draw.”

Given that the Republican convention is this week and Labor Day follows shortly after, nothing will happen until mid-September. At the same time, the end of September is the end of the fiscal year and Congress will need to pass a continuing resolution to keep the government going. Observers say that they will not want to hold that until the last minute, so a deal could be likely shortly after the middle of next month.

The current U.S. Treasury and Internal Revenue ruling prohibits businesses from taking tax deductions for any expenses paid using PPP dollars. Bi-partisan legislation is being considered to overturn this ruling, but it is caught up in Congress's Phase 4 Coronavirus Relief negotiations. Businesses are encouraged to consult tax advisors on how to handle current quarterly tax submissions.

GSSCC's Annual Business Golf event - this year called the 2020 COVID Classic - will be held at Argyle Country Club on Monday, September 21. Safety precautions will be in place and enforced to ensure the continued healthy and safety of event attendees.

Let this year's sponsorship opportunities do the work for you! Get out of the office and in front of members with the opportunity to be on the course staffing (socially distanced) the Snack Shack or Beverage Station or working the Longest Drive or Closest to the Pin contests. Take advantage of this opportunity to engage with members and promote your business!

This free webinar will focus on concrete steps that business owners and leadership can take right now to strengthen their finances and operations. During the webinar, Stratus Wealth Advisors’ Founder Sam Brownell will use real-life examples drawn from the firm’s succession and business continuity planning work with independent business owners and their leadership teams.

The GSSCC cordially invites Chamber members to join us for GSSCC 101: Virtual Member Orientation. This virtual event is for new members or new representatives of member companies with a maximum of two per business.

This is the perfect event to learn how to make the most of your membership investment, connect with your fellow Chamber members, and meet the GSSCC staff, board members, and ambassadors.

Thank you to everyone who attended the Virtual Joint Speed Networking with the Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce last week. With over 40 participants, members enjoyed networking in smaller breakout rooms and creating new connections.

Thank you again to event sponsor, SERVPRO of Chevy Chase & Silver Spring!

COVID19, the upcoming Presidential election, economic forecasts, and erratic weather conditions all point to a volatile energy market. There’s no better time to consider enrolling in GSSCC’s Energy Purchasing Cooperative. The strategic partnership between GSSCC and CQI Associates means lower energy costs and long-term budget stability. How? By leveraging the aggregated energy usage of members of 23 chambers of commerce, CQI has the purchasing power to negotiate rates much lower than an individual company could attain on its own. Participants who signed onto the co-op realized a combined annual savings of $889,600, which equates to an average of $4,000 per company annually.

Applications will be accepted between August 31 and September 25. Here’s a link to the application. Want to learn more?

CQI Associates will host information Zoom webinars on the following dates:

For more information, call Joe Tabeling at 443-472-3870.

* Easterseals DC MD VA has announced the promotion of Anneke Vandenbroek, Ph.D., to Director of the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Easterseals. Dr. Vandenbroek is a long-time Silver Spring resident and community member who has played a significant leadership role in shaping and guiding the clinic from its initial opening in 2017. Congratulations! Read here for more.

* Denizens Brewing Co. and Silver Branch Brewing Co. are joining other local brewers and organizations for the #CraftingGratitude campaign to thank first responders and other front-line workers with surprise deliveries of local craft brews. Way to go! Read the Source of the Spring article here for more information.

* Trivia (socially distanced) is back in the Silver Spring Beer Garden at Denizens Brewing Co. beginning 8 p.m. on Tuesday, August 25. Make your reservations here. "Wish You Were Beer Episode 9: The Taproom Experience" recently aired on Facebook Live and can be viewed here.

See your company's news here! Send us your news releases and news items by noon on Friday for publication in the following Monday's edition. Click here for guidelines on submitting Member News.

As businesses re-open and employers are tasked with providing PPE for their returning employees, GSSCC has launched a “Back to Business Products” page on our website for members looking to purchase PPE products, signage, and more. If your business is selling PPEs and you would like to be on this page, please complete this form and send it to Julie at jpawlikowski@gsscc.org.

Corporate Partners - Downtown Silver Spring; Lee Development Group; Montgomery College; Joseph W. McCartin Insurance;

 Business Partners - Andalman & Flynn, AFI Silver Theatre; Apex Home

 Partners - Adam Lowe Creative; Bell Flowers; EBA Ernest Bland Associates; Image360.