May 20, 2020 the Honorable Mitch Mcconnell
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May 20, 2020 The Honorable Mitch McConnell The Honorable Charles E. Schumer 317 Russell Senate Office Building 322 Hart Senate Office Building United States Senate United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510 Majority Leader McConnell and Minority Leader Schumer: As Congress works to address the devastating effects of the COVID-19 public health and economic crisis, we applaud your efforts to keep our communities safe and to protect workers, businesses, and the broader economy from the impacts of this crisis. As representatives of more than 425 members of the Business Community of the Metropolitan Washington region, we write today to express serious concern over the allocation of funding for the District of Columbia in the CARES Act. The relief package allocated at least $1.25 billion in direct payments to every state, but allocates only $500 million to the District of Columbia by treating it the same way as a territory. We urge you to correct for this funding shortfall in future legislative action and ensure adequate support for the District of Columbia for the purposes of relief going forward. We ask you to consider the following information in the context of this critical issue: The District of Columbia is being hit especially hard during the crisis. As of May 20, the District has more than 7,400 confirmed coronavirus cases, which outpaces nearly two dozen states. It has also been designated as an emerging “hot spot” for the virus. The District is not only the Nation’s Capital in which the Capitol and White House are located, but it also is also home to more than 700,000 residents—making it more populous than some states—and, as a densely populated urban center, the District is especially vulnerable to the spread of the virus. These residents need access to the same support that has been granted to other parts of the country. Due to strong oversight and sound fiscal management, the District entered this crisis in a strong financial position, but it is already experiencing significant economic losses due to the ongoing public health emergency. The District’s tourism, hospitality, and restaurant industries, along with its world-class colleges and universities, are already suffering, as are small businesses throughout the District. Current estimates project revenue losses of more than $600 million by the end of September. The District’s contributions to the federal government are unique and substantial. Not only do DC residents contribute more federal income taxes on a per capita basis than any other state or territory, but the District is also the seat of the federal government and is thus obligated to protect the health and safety of hundreds of thousands of federal workers. This deadly virus is not limited to any particular geographical boundary. Jeopardizing the District’s ability to respond to the crisis puts the entire region at an increased risk. It is critical that the District of Columbia receives the funding it needs to ensure that adequate services can be provided both to official federal Washington and to District residents and visitors. As members of the business community of the Metropolitan Washington region, we urge the federal government to ensure that the District of Columbia receives no less than the minimum allocation of $1.25 billion provided to May 20, 2020 Page | 2 each state in the CARES Act via the Coronavirus Relief Fund program, and to ensure adequate support for the District in all future Congressional actions taken to rescue and recover from this global health pandemic. This aid is essential to the District government’s ability to protect its residents, federal employees, and its economy. The undersigned organizations support this important effort—and support is still growing. We come together to urge you to support this policy change and the region’s collective response to this public health and economic crisis. Sincerely, Federal City Council Stream Realty Partners Capital One Oxford Properties PNC Bank Carleton Holdings Marriott International, Inc. Equity Residential American Society of Association Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners Executives Winged Keel Group, Inc. Greater Washington Board of Trade Ditto Management LLC District of Columbia Chamber of E.J. Patron Enterprises LLC Commerce International Economic Development Greater Washington Partnership Council (IEDC) The 2030 Group Greater Washington Black Chamber of Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber Commerce of Commerce BBVA USA Monumental Sports & Entertainment Medical Society of the District of Graham Holdings Company Columbia United Bankshares, Inc. Stonebridge Associates, Inc. Urban Land Institute SC Property Management, LLC EDENS Trammell Crow Company Hines The Urban Partnership Washington Gas Roadside Development DC Chamber of Commerce Goulston & Storrs The Donohoe Companies, Inc. Colonial Parking, Inc. Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Savills, Inc. Washington Finn Partners, Inc. Hoffman + Associates Clark Construction Group, LLC American Beverage Association Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP ECS Federal, LLC Martin Diamond Properties Akridge Miller & Long DC, Inc. CityBridge Jackson & Campbell, PC Washingtonian Magazine The LINE Hotel HOK Inc. Hickok Cole Architects, Inc. EYP Architecture & Engineering The Wilkes Company Apartment and Office Building Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLC Association of Metropolitan Fort Lincoln Realty Washington, Inc. SRB Communications, LLC Emotive Architecture, PLLC SmithGroup DC Association of REALTORS Bennett Group WC Smith NFP Corp. Brookfield Properties The Levy Group May 20, 2020 Page | 3 EYA, LLC Broughton Construction Company LLC Wingate Hughes Architects, PLLC Friedman Capital Gotham Partners The Excalibur Group PPC-Leftwich D. H. Lloyd & Associates Inc. Design Research Bridging Technologies LLC Mount Vernon Triangle Community RMS Investment Group Improvement District J Street Companies City Houses LLC Eastbanc Technologies Falcon Management Group, Inc. Adrian L. Merton Inc. Georgetown Suites Hotel Oliva Consulting, Inc. Bazilio Cobb Associates PC American Management Corporation SRB Communications Linda Roth Associates Inc Carr Properties Tildora Systems LLC STUDIOS Architecture Sustainable Facilities Management Abdo Development LLC Services Julyan & Julyan Smoot Construction of DC The Hill Group, Inc. National Mall Coalition Landmark Parking, Inc. Destination DC Gorove/Slade Associates Inc. JMA Solutions, LLC The Concordia Group AmeriHealth Caritas District of Community Three Development Columbia Georgetown University Plenary Enterprises Trinity Washington University Cordia Partners Howard University Dinan Associates Trent & Co. Bluestone Lane Redbrick LMD TransitScreen Western Development Corporation The Phoenix BELL Architects, PC Sweet Science Coffee Compass Realty OceanPro Industries Ltd Corenic Construction Group, LLC Hopscotch Ventures Marcus Asset Group, Inc. Ideal Electrical Supply SCahill LLC DP Consultants, Inc. Flywheel Development LLC Clear Real Estate Services, LLC Bohler DC City Permit Dantes Partners LLC Urban Pace Perseus TDC Misra Law PLLC Bundy Development Corporation Atlantic Services Group, Inc. CSG Urban Partners LLC Halcyon Georgetown LLC Lourenco Consultants Inc. Hemphill Artworks LLC Eagle Integrated Solutions LLC Lars Etzkorn Law PLLC Teass Warren Architects Oculus Realty, LLC UIP Property Management, Inc. Inscape Studio Property Group Partners Development, Reston Limousine Service LLC District Cutlery David M. Schwarz Architects, Inc. Healing Hands Physical Therapy Critical Systems, LLC Services Pillar Construction, Inc. Al's Twin Air, LLC Republic Properties Corporation Abstract Orange Studio Crowley Hall pllc The Ford Agency, Inc. Taylor Adams Associates Dimples Dental Suite Guggenheim Parking Inc. Jefferson Apartment Group May 20, 2020 Page | 4 Fitness Destino LLC Brightwood Mart Modern Trousseau DC Cafe Divan J R Jennings Enterprises LLC Capitol Hill Exxon Olivia Macaron Capitol Hill Care Pharmacy CMIT Solutions of Capitol Hill Cinder Neighborhood BBQ Natural Healing Products LLC Columbia Heights Pharmacy Nai Xander, Inc. Dollar 1 Peak Technology Solutions, Inc. Eclectic Café Lyn-Phill Construction, LLC Elsa Kitchen O Museum in the Mansion Exxon Columbia Heights Gas Station Executive Contractors LLC Georgetown Exxon Green Step LLC Georgetown Shell Shepherd Electric Supply of Here’s The Scoop Washington DC LLC Jamaican County Kitchen PT2SO Investments LLC Keren Cafe & Restaurant Global Government and Industry Lamont Market Partners, LLC Metro Motor Towing PIR Marketing Naanwise Indian Cuisine Help Unlimited Temps Neighborhood Pharmacy DC Fire Protection LLC Parkers Exxon Premium Title & Escrow, LLC Peaches Kitchen XediaLabs Penn Ave Exxon Alpha Power and Alarm Company Petworth Market Daylily Landscaping LLC Pho Viet A&A Rental Station Pizza Mart JLA Law Rolands Grocery Code IT Inc. Rosemarino d'itali Church Hall DC Say Cheese! EMB International, LLC Seven Market The Jackson Investment Company, LLC Sospeso Cultural Tourism DC, Inc. The Coffee Bar Georgetown Business Improvement Sprig and Sprout District Teddy’s Roti Shop Capitol Riverfront BID Toki Underground District of Columbia Hospital The Corner Market Association The Capital Candy Jar Eastern Market Main Street DC Life Safety, LLC Hayat Brown LLC Center for the Creative Economy H.H. Leonards, Associates National Federation of Federal Prognosis, LLC Employees of the IAM-AW/AFL CIO CNM Global LLC NRGCO Court Reporters and Newton Grange Consulting Transcribers Venturi CCS LLC Danna's