News from Congressman Barr

July 16, 2021

Congressional Update from U.S. Congressman Andy Barr

Sixth District Veterans Coalition Meeting

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This week, I met with members of the Sixth District Veterans Coalition.  We discussed a whole host of issues facing our nation’s veterans, including the push to establish an effective system at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide veterans who had toxic exposure during their service the care and benefits they earned.  That is why I am pushing the Toxic Exposure in the American Military (TEAM) Act in Congress to improve the VA’s process to grant service-connected benefits to these veterans. 

Additionally, I had the honor of hosting Dalton Carter at the meeting, who I nominated to attend the U.S. Military Academy.  This year, Dalton graduated from West Point and now will join the ranks of the world’s greatest military officers as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.  Thank you to Dalton for his service and to all military servicemembers who serve our country in uniform.

Addressing Small Business Owners About Rising Costs and Labor Shortages

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On Wednesday, I spoke at Commerce Lexington’s Policy Over Lunch Series to Central Kentucky small business owners about rising costs and labor shortages.  This month, it was reported that job openings rose to their highest level ever on record with over 9 million job openings nationwide.  

Despite the job openings, COVID-19 vaccines and statewide rollbacks of COVID restrictions, small businesses cannot find workers.  By prolonging what was intended to be emergency enhanced unemployment benefits, Governor Beshear and President Biden are putting small business owners in direct competition with the government for employees, causing devastating harm to our economy.  Let me be clear, you are paying the price:

    • The National Federation of Independent Business June 2021 Small Business Optimism Index found that nearly half of America’s small businesses are raising prices because goods are getting so expensive. 
    • The net percent of owners raising average selling prices increased 7 points to a net 47%.
    • 46% of owners reported job openings that could not be filled.

It’s Time to Fully Restore our Economy

Governor Beshear knows his policies are crushing small businesses and disincentivizing work, so he is implementing a scheme to pay people $1,500 if they agree to go back to work.

Instead a one-time gimmick paid for by Kentucky taxpayers, we should remove enhanced unemployment benefits immediately, and pass the Help Wanted Act, which I am pushing in Congress to:

    • Require every state to reinstate a “work-search” requirement to receive unemployment benefits.  Unemployment recipients would be required to show proof that they are searching for a job to continue receiving benefits. 
    • Remove a provision from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act allowing individuals to receive UI benefits if they voluntarily left their job during the pandemic. 
    • Prohibit the use of generic concerns regarding COVID-19 as an excuse for rejecting employment offers to continue receiving unemployment. 

SBA Disaster Loan Relief Extension

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) extended the deadline for businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners, and renters to apply for a physical disaster loan to July 23, 2021.  Anyone in the declared Kentucky counties with physical damages due to the severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides from Feb. 27 through March 14, 2021 should apply for an SBA low-interest disaster loan.  Sixth District residents in Anderson, Clark, Estill, Fayette, Franklin, Jessamine, Madison, Powell and Woodford counties are eligible. 

As of July 13, the SBA has approved 102 disaster loans in Kentucky for a total of $4,452,700.  For more information on the SBA loans available, click here.

IRS Release Info on Child Tax Credit

This week, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) began issuing payments for the Child Tax Credit.  IRS Fact Sheet 2021-10 covers who is automatically getting Advance Child Tax Credit payments and who needs to act now to sign up.  You need to sign up if you have not filed a tax return or if you don’t plan to file a return this year.  You must also sign up if you haven’t completed a 2020 or 2019 tax return.

Each step in the three-step sign up process has a free online tool available only on IRS.gov.  The three-step process for those who need it, and those assisting them, is:

The Fact Sheet also provides information on:

  • Accessing the portal,
  • Who should opt out or unenroll,
  • Child Tax Credit 2021, and
  • Child Tax Credit Changes.

For the most up-to-date information on the Child Tax Credit and advance payments, visit Advance Child Tax Credit Payments in 2021.

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Congressman Andy Barr

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