April 24, 2020 the Honorable Michael R. Pence Vice President of the United States the White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
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1000 Maine Avenue, SW, STE 500 Washington, DC 20024 202.872.1260 brt.org CHAIRMAN Doug McMillon April 24, 2020 Walmart PRESIDENT & CEO The Honorable Michael R. Pence Joshua Bolten Vice President of the United States Business Roundtable The White House BOARD OF DIRECTORS 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Mary T. Barra Washington, DC 20500 General Motors Company Brenden Bechtel Dear Mr. Vice President, Bechtel Corporation Tim Cook As chief executives of many of the nation’s largest Apple Inc. businesses, Business Roundtable CEOs appreciate the Jamie Dimon complex roles that you and other leaders at all levels of JPMorgan Chase & Co. government play to address what may be the most Jim Fitterling significant public health and public policy challenges of our Dow lifetimes. We welcomed the criteria for reopening the U.S. economy issued by the Administration on April 16, as an Beth Ford Land O’Lakes, Inc. important step forward. In addition, we are pleased to see economic recovery planning taking shape across the United Lance Fritz Union Pacific Corporation States. Lynn J. Good Duke Energy Corporation Business Roundtable believes coordination is essential as we move forward and, accordingly, urges the federal Alex Gorsky government, states and local governments to develop Johnson & Johnson common approaches to protecting worker and customer Tricia Griffith safety. We have called for guidance from the Centers for Progressive Corporation Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on these issues. We Greg Hayes also are encouraging states to coordinate as they develop Raytheon Technologies Corporation plans for lifting restrictions, including through regional Marillyn A. Hewson groups. Given the imminent reopening to economic activity Lockheed Martin Corporation in some states, we believe a consistent and coordinated Jim Keane approach is urgently needed to create trust in resuming Steelcase Inc. activities and spur the demand necessary to invigorate the Tom Linebarger economy. Cummins Inc. Larry Merlo In the attached document, we describe issues on which CVS Health employers would welcome CDC guidance, along with our Doug Peterson suggestions on these measures for your consideration. The S&P Global exhibits outline the categories for which employers need public and worker safety guidelines as economic activity Chuck Robbins Cisco Systems, Inc. gradually resumes. These categories are aligned with the phases described in the White House Guidelines for Opening Robert F. Smith Up America Again. We expect that our recommendations will Vista Equity Partners evolve as we learn more about the practical applications of Arne Sorenson these measures and of other best practices for worker and Marriott International customer safety. Randall L. Stephenson AT&T Inc. Mark S. Sutton International Paper Company April 24, 2020 Page 2 We look forward to working with you and with policymakers at the federal, state and local levels to ensure a safe and rapid recovery from this crisis. Sincerely, Doug McMillon President and CEO, Walmart Chairman, Business Roundtable C: Lawrence A. Kudlow Jared C. Kushner Christopher P. Liddell Mark R. Meadows 1000 Maine Avenue, SW, STE 500 Washington, DC 20024 202.872.1260 brt.org April 24, 2020 CHAIRMAN Doug McMillon Walmart PRESIDENT & CEO Joshua Bolten Business Roundtable Dear Governor XXX, BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mary T. Barra As chief executives of many of the nation’s largest businesses, General Motors Company Business Roundtable CEOs appreciate the critical role you play Brenden Bechtel in leading your state through what may be the most significant Bechtel Corporation public health and public policy challenge of our lifetimes. We are grateful for your service to our nation and stand ready to Tim Cook Apple Inc. assist you. Jamie Dimon Policymakers at all levels now face the unprecedented challenge JPMorgan Chase & Co. of charting our nation’s path through recovery from this crisis. Jim Fitterling This work is complex and urgent, and it requires careful Dow planning. We are pleased to see economic recovery planning Beth Ford take shape across the United States, including in your state. Land O’Lakes, Inc. Lance Fritz Coordination of federal, state and local planning efforts will be Union Pacific Corporation essential as we move forward. In particular, Business Lynn J. Good Roundtable would welcome efforts by policymakers at all levels Duke Energy Corporation to develop consistent approaches to protecting worker and Alex Gorsky customer safety, which will help build confidence for workers Johnson & Johnson and consumers by fostering a common understanding of the steps being taken across the country to keep them safe, helping Tricia Griffith Progressive Corporation to spur a stronger and more rapid recovery. We have called for more detailed guidance from the Centers for Disease Control Greg Hayes Raytheon Technologies Corporation and Prevention (CDC) on worker and customer safety measures. At the same time, we encourage states to Marillyn A. Hewson coordinate as they develop plans for lifting restrictions, Lockheed Martin Corporation including through regional groups. Jim Keane Steelcase Inc. Many states have begun already to develop detailed approaches Tom Linebarger to workplace safety. To contribute to these efforts, the Cummins Inc. attached document provides a template for approaching worker Larry Merlo and customer safety issues, as well as some specific CVS Health approaches. We understand that decisions regarding specific Doug Peterson measures should be guided by public health experts. These S&P Global suggestions are intended to be examples of measures that Chuck Robbins could be adopted by policymakers at all levels. Cisco Systems, Inc. We have also raised in this document a number of key Robert F. Smith Vista Equity Partners questions for policymakers to consider as restrictions are lifted and look forward to working with you and public health experts Arne Sorenson to address them. We also expect that our recommendations Marriott International will evolve as we learn more about the science, the practical Randall L. Stephenson applications of these measures, and innovative practices for AT&T Inc. worker and customer safety. Mark S. Sutton International Paper Company April 24, 2020 Page 2 We would welcome opportunities to engage with you and your teams on the details of our recommendations. We look forward to working with you, your fellow Governors, and federal policymakers to ensure a safe and rapid recovery from this crisis. Sincerely, Doug McMillon President and CEO, Walmart Chairman, Business Roundtable Developing Guidelines for Returning to Work Business Roundtable appreciates the work of federal, state and local officials to develop plans for the lifting of restrictions on activity when it can be done safely. As state and local governments move to lift restrictions, it will be necessary to put in place other measures to keep Americans safe, including measures to protect worker and customer safety. Business Roundtable has called for detailed guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on the measures employers could take to keep workers and customers safe. Business Roundtable also supports efforts by states to coordinate their guidelines, including through regional groups. Consistent guidelines on workplace and public safety will ensure a common understanding of the measures being taken across the country and build confidence among workers and consumers that they can safely return to work and public activity. Consistent guidelines will also provide clarity to employers that operate across multiple states, preventing inefficiencies that would result from diverse and potentially conflicting rules. In Exhibit 1, we have outlined categories that should be covered by public and worker safety guidelines as economic activity gradually resumes in phases as described by the White House Guidelines for Opening Up America Again. Key categories include: • Movement and activity (workplace activity, gathering size, physical distancing, movement, and commerce). Restrictions on movement and activity form the basis of many shelter-at-home orders and public health guidelines today. As reopening begins, key considerations include work arrangements and space configuration, appropriate occupation density, introduction of safeguards in high-traffic areas, distancing measures and gathering sizes in different workspaces and environments. • Public and workplace safety and trust (protective equipment, hygiene and cleaning, vulnerable populations). As community-based restrictions are gradually lifted, states and communities should have in place plans for other kinds of protections that can keep Americans safe including, among other things, the broader use of face coverings and other protective measures, cleaning procedures, virus monitoring, and robust plans for contact tracing. Additionally, investment and policy changes to increase the availability of critical resources will continue to be needed. Key considerations include clarifying the types of equipment required in different contexts to support hygienic practices, defining expectations for the type and frequency of cleaning and sanitizing, and considering vulnerable/at-risk populations and their caregivers. Where there are shortages of particular supplies, policymakers should delineate appropriate alternatives. • Monitoring (screening, testing, tracing and tracking, communication). As limitations on movement and activity are lifted, consistent and uniform CDC guidelines are