President Trump has signed into a law the $900 billion fiscal stimulus package and $1.4 trillion omnibus appropriations bill aimed at relieving effects of the pandemic and funding the federal government through fall of 2021.

Updated 1/11/2021: Georgia Democrats Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff defeated incumbent GOP Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, respectively. Both Loeffler and Perdue conceded to their Democratic opponents late last week. With the Senate victories, the chamber is now split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaking vote, giving the Democrats control of the Senate.

**********************************************************************************

As President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris prepare to assume office, GCSAA has joined its allies on the H-2B Workforce Coalition to make sure they know how essential the H-2B visa program is to seasonal industries like golf.  GCSAA has co-signed a letter to them that emphasizes the importance of the program in providing temporary, legal workers to employers who have exhausted efforts elsewhere.  The letter sends a valuable message to the incoming Administration.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). First identified in Wuhan, China in 2019, it led to a serious global health crisis that ramped up in the United States beginning in March 2020. COVID-19 quickly spread throughout the United States between March-May 2020, resulting in local and state governments issuing severe business restrictions and stay-at-home orders. Consequently, all factions of the golf industry quickly assembled to: 1) ensure golf was included as an acceptable form of outdoor recreation; and 2) ensure minimal maintenance at golf properties could continue. Proactive advocacy efforts included outreach to governor’s offices in all 50 states by golf industry leaders and state-based golf coalitions.

GCSAA has been a strong advocate since March 2020 focused on responding to COVID-19. We are seeing now states, cities and counties across the country reporting an uptick in coronavirus cases as we enter the winter months and many governors, mayors and county officials are taking new steps to reinstate stricter policies including updating Executive Orders.

The golf industry, working in alignment with the Centers for Disease Control, developed Back2Golf guidelines which were modeled after President Trump’s Guidelines for Opening Up America Again. These guidelines demonstrate that golf can offer an outdoor recreational experience that provides many health and wellness benefits. This comprehensive plan allows golf to be played responsibly while observing recommended social distancing guidelines.

As elected officials update their restrictions and Executive Orders targeted at mitigating the resurgence of cases by limiting group sizes, requiring facemasks indoors and outdoors, and closing down activities, rest assured GCSAA’s Government Affairs and Field Staff departments will continue to closely monitor these actions and will continue to protect and defend the golf industry. Most important, where allowed, golf has proven to be a reliable refuge for those seeking fresh air and recreation in a socially distant manner. As government bodies carefully consider the steps needed to maintain state economies, GCSAA urges government bodies to remember the many community benefits offered by golf courses, the opportunity golf facilities provide to the millions who enjoy the game, and the many new social distancing protocols put in place. GCSAA and the golf industry wants to serve as a reliable partner at all levels of government to respond to COVID-19 and any future pandemics. 

Advocacy specific COVD-19 resources can be found here. 

It’s been more than three weeks since Election Day but there are still a handful of congressional races that either remain to be called or are facing a runoff.  In the Senate, the current partisan breakdown is 50-48, Republican-Democrat.   Two Senate races, in the State of Georgia, are headed to a runoff which will be held on January 5^th.   In the House of Representatives, the current breakdown is 222-208, Democrat-Republican.  Five House races remain undecided, with four of them potentially impacting the Democrat’s balance of power.  (The 5^th Congressional District in Louisiana faces a Republican v. Republican runoff in December that will not change the balance of power).  Further, Representative Cedric Richmond (D-LA-2) will, temporarily, decrease the Democrats numbers when he joins the incoming Biden Administration, as expected. 

Early voting turnout numbers this election year were impressive.  Before any votes were cast on Election Day, more than 101 million people voted either by mail or in person, according to the U.S. Elections Project.  In fact, the early turnout in 2020 was 73.6% of the TOTAL number of people who voted in 2016. When we looked at these early turnout figures, one question was whether the trend would continue through Election Day:  Were people – during a pandemic – voting in greater numbers or were they merely moving their vote to an earlier, perhaps more convenient, time?  The answer to that question is that 2020 was a record year for voting overall.  In fact, more than 159 million voted in 2020 with many states still certifying their votes.  That’s expected to be a total of 66.8% of all eligible voters, the highest turnout since 1908.   

This weekend marks the end of early, in-person voting in the following states: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and West Virginia.   Many of these states are the must-win “battleground states” for both President Trump and former Vice-President Biden, including Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, Wisconsin and the biggest prize of all:  Florida.  With early numbers in, here are some of the trends and how this might impact overall turnout.    

On November 10, GCSAA’s Chava McKeel and Mark Johnson spoke to the Pesticide Education Task Force of the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign about all of the golf industry’s efforts toward pollinator protection.

On November 11, I will be a presenter at the 8^th annual Professional Women in Advocacy (PWIA) Conference. This year’s conference features twenty-five breakout sessions covering topics in Communications, Political Action Committees & Grassroots, Federal & State Government Relations and Professional Development.

It’s less than a week to go before the election on November 3.   Many Americans have taken advantage of early voting laws in their states and have already cast their ballots.  But whether you have voted or still plan to vote on the 3^rd, it is important that when you do, you post your picture on social media along with “#golfvotes”.

Voting is one of the most important rights and responsibilities we have as U.S. citizens. Every vote counts!

Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Senator Kamala Harris took the stage in the first and only vice presidential debate of the 2020 election. Over the course of 90 minutes, viewers were treated to more substantive policy discussions than the prior week’s presidential debate across nine topic areas including the coronavirus pandemic, the economy, and health care. Below are some of our topline takeaways from the debate:

Source: Forbes-Tate Partners who manages the We Are Golf coalition in Washington, DC.  

The first of three planned presidential debates between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden took place on Sept. 29 in Cleveland, Ohio. This debate will ultimately be remembered for cross-talk, interruptions, personal attacks, and responses about extremist groups and the integrity of the election, rather than as a contest of ideas. However, below are a few top-line takeaways from what was largely a chaotic 90 minutes.

Early voting for the 2020 Elections has started in your state! Although Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, some states – including yours – have already started voting. Voting is a key part of the democratic process and a vital part of our nation’s political system. By voting you can make your voice heard, not just as a citizen but also as an advocate of the golf course management industry. Below are tools and resources to ensure that you are prepared to vote according to your state’s guidelines. Once you have voted, don’t forget to share a selfie on social media using the #GolfVotes hashtag!

On election day November 3, not only is the Presidency on the ballot.  Control of the Senate and the House of Representatives is also at stake.  That means 1/3 of the Senate and all 435 House members are on the ballot as well.  Control of Congress impacts the policy agenda for whomever takes the oath of office on Inauguration Day.  With so much at stake, here’s your guide to watching the congressional elections like a political pro. 

Election day is November 3^rd and early voting is already underway in many states.  To understand how the presidential race between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden will be decided means focusing on several battleground states.  Here’s your guide to watching these states like a political pro.

On September 16, 2020, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing to discuss the ongoing implementation of the Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR), the successor to the 2015 Clean Water Rule (commonly known as “WOTUS” rule).  While some Senators on the committee spent time during the hearing attacking the legitimacy of the NWPR, it was notable that others, including witnesses, discussed its implementation.  

H.R. 7940 and S. 4406 have recently been introduced in Congress and would jeopardize the continued innovation and availability of pesticide products. These bills impose an unscientific, unbalanced, politically driven process which would unnecessarily remove pest control options from those who need them to safely grow crops, perform golf course management, protect schools and hospitals, and control pathogens and disease vectors.

With less than 60 days before the election, the latest COVID-19 relief bill introduced in the U.S. Senate a week ago indicates there’s still a long way to go before Republicans and Democrats come to a consensus.  The “Delivering Immediate Relief to America’s Families, Schools and Small Businesses Act” (“Act”) has been described as a “skinny COVID bill”.  While it has a $500 billion price tag, it does not include a number of provisions Democrats and many Republicans want, including direct rebate checks for individuals and financial assistance for states and cities. 

Written by: Michael Lee

In mid-March, things began changing. You could feel it. The novel coronavirus was upon us and it wasn’t going to fade quickly. No, in fact, it was going to spread and cause life altering impacts on every single one of us.