WASHINGTON, D.C. — On the news that Leader Schumer and Senator Manchin announced a breakthrough in their negotiations on the Reconciliation bill, Main Street Alliance/Main Street Action Executive Director Chanda Causer had this to say:
“The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 addresses some key concerns Main Street business owners face today, but it does not go far enough. Holding corporations accountable for their fair share of taxes, while investing in cost-savings on health care for small businesses is exactly the kind of progress small businesses need to survive. However, small businesses need public investment in care infrastructure to recover from the pandemic’s economic toll and contend with surging costs. Without this investment, many people – especially Black and Latina women, who are most severely impacted by child care shortages and often do not have paid leave – cannot start, grow, or work for small businesses.
“While this deal is an achievement that includes some of the commitments President Joe Biden made when he took office, much work still needs to be done. Main Street Alliance is developing small business leaders in local communities across the country to speak up for the issues that matter to their communities and our economy. We are not willing to bargain away our priorities. We saw what happened when there was no safety net for families during the pandemic: massive corporations were able to rake in record profits while most of us struggled to survive. We can’t allow this to happen again.”