Capital Roundup
Aug 1, 2010
| BILL NAME | SUMMARY OF BILL AND WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU | U.S. CHAMBER'S POSITION | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|
| FINANCIAL REGULATORY REFORM H.R. 4173 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act |
This bill creates a powerful, new independent federal agency with a $410 million annual budget to regulate consumer financial products. It gives the SEC clear authority to allow shareholders to nominate directors to the board. Corporate end users of derivatives are subject to new regulations governing the derivatives market. | Rather than modernize the rules governing our markets, end bureaucratic overlap, and close regulatory gaps—all of which the Chamber has supported for years—this bill will, instead, trigger a regulatory tsunami and further restrict access to credit. | Last Action Signed by President Obama July 21, 2010. |
| CORPORATE FREE SPEECH H.R. 5175 DISCLOSE Act |
Under the guise of transparency, this bill would, among other things, prohibit TARP recipients and federal government contractors from engaging in many, if not most, election-related activities. It would further restrict foreign-controlled corporations from engaging in political activity. The bill would also require organizations engaging in many types of political or election-related activities to disclose their contributors/members. The names of the biggest contributors would potentially have to appear on the organization’s radio and television ads. | The Chamber opposes this bill because it is a blatant attempt to impact this fall’s elections, silence constitutionally protected speech, and abridge First Amendment rights. |
Last Action |
| SBA LOANS H.R. 5412 Small Business Asset Investment & Modernization Act of 2010 |
This bill would allow small businesses to refinance their commercial real estate loans with a Small Business Administration 504 loan at no expense to taxpayers. It would also raise the maximum SBA 504 loan size from $1.5 million to $5 million and for small manufacturers from $4 million to $5.5 million. Borrowers would need to be current on payments, and refinance loans would apply only to owner-occupied commercial real estate, buildings, or equipment. | The Chamber supports legislation that would help provide small business owners with much-needed access to capital when attempting to refinance their commercial real estate loans. |
Last Action |
| CLIMATE CHANGE S.J. Res. 26 Congressional Review Act Resolution of Disapproval on EPA’s Endangerment Finding |
This resolution would have rejected an EPA finding that greenhouse gases endanger human health and welfare and therefore should be regulated by the EPA under the auspices of the Clean Air Act (CAA). As part of a compromise to defeat the bill, Senate leadership promised moderate Democrats a vote on S. 3072, the Stationary Source Regulations Delay Act, which would delay CAA regulations for two years. | The Chamber supported this resolution because it believes that greenhouse gas emissions should be addressed by new congressional legislation as opposed to being regulated by the EPA under the auspices of the Clean Air Act. | Last Action Failed in the Senate June 10, 2010, by a 47-53 vote. |
| “CASH FOR CAULKERS” REBATES S. 3434 Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010 |
This bill would provide two tiers of rebates—one worth up to $3,000 and another up to $8,000—for homeowners who purchase and install residential energy efficiency products including insulation, water heaters and heating systems, windows, and doors. The $6 billion program would last for two years. | The Chamber supports this bill because it provides a solid framework for a worthwhile, incentive-based program to create American jobs while saving energy. | Last Action Referred to Senate committee May 27, 2010. Next Step Committee Vote |
