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Advocacy

Federal Legislative Agenda

The 2024 Federal Legislative Agenda for the Cobb Chamber represents our commitment to advance a vibrant and thriving economy by enhancing the business climate and quality of life for Cobb County, the region, and the state of Georgia.

Federal Legislative Agenda

Cobb County’s business community consistently demonstrates resilience and adaptability in the face of ongoing and unpredictable changes. Despite Georgia being named the top state for business for the 10th consecutive year, our members face challenges such as inflationary pressures, workforce shortages, evolving consumer behavior, and a more complex federal regulatory environment.

The 2024 federal legislative agenda for the Cobb Chamber represents our commitment to advance a vibrant and thriving economy by enhancing the business climate and quality of life for Cobb County, the region, and the state of Georgia. Most of our members are small businesses, and our agenda addresses critical concerns from over 2,700 member organizations representing over 18,000 business leaders. While our positions fall into four policy areas, top priorities include:

  • Addressing the expiration of 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which includes R&D deductions and the 20% deduction for pass-through businesses.
  • Support of federal funding for Cobb County projects to improve mobility for our county, the seven cities in Cobb County, the Cumberland Community Improvement District, the Town Center Community Improvement District, and the Gateway Marietta Community Improvement District.
  • Pass the FY 2025 budget prior to the new fiscal year to avoid continuing resolutions.

Fostering a Resilient Economy

  • Oppose legislation or agency regulations that increases inflationary spending levels, imposes tax increases, including increases in marginal tax rates, inheritance taxes, and capital gains, or that would negatively impact economic growth, job creation, and competitiveness.
  • Support legislation reducing the cost of time, resources, and regulatory constraints on small businesses.
  • Oppose programs that create obstacles for companies seeking to attract and retain essential workforce talent.
  • Support using robust, peer-reviewed science and risk-based determinations in legislation and regulatory policies.
  • Support liability protection legislation for businesses against frivolous lawsuits.
  • Support apprenticeship and job training programs that incentivize employment and better prepare our citizens for future workforce challenges.
  • Support federal funding for community-level grants that assist entrepreneurs and small business start-ups.
  • Support policies and legislation that provide equal tax treatment for brick-and-mortar and online retailers.
  • Support a federal consumer privacy law to provide businesses a streamlined roadmap for compliance.
  • Support policies that keep energy safe, reliable, and affordable.
  • Support policies that combat organized retail crime and counterfeit goods.
  • Support Congressional action to increase the human, physical, and technological resources along the southern border and at our ports of entry.
  • Support instituting modern, effective, and efficient employment verification reforms

 

Infrastructure and Transportation

  • Support efforts to sustain and enhance investments in transportation to move goods and people efficiently and effectively.
  • Support policies that encourage the growth and modernization of telecommunications and energy infrastructure.
  • Oppose unnecessary regulations on federally funded infrastructure projects and support policies that streamline federal oversight.
  • Support the streamlining of competitive grant program application processes to better direct projects of local priority to the most competitive grant applicant.
  • Support legislation allowing greater flexibility in federal funding programs for multimodal options incorporating highway and transit elements.
 

Healthcare

  • Enable greater flexibility for businesses as they offer healthcare coverage to their employees.
  • Support adding full tax deductibility of health plan premiums for individuals, businesses, and business owners.
  • Support workforce development efforts to assist hospitals with the national healthcare workforce shortage.
  • Support the expansion, offering, and enrollment in diverse coverage options like association health plans to decrease costs and increase access for small businesses.
  • Urge Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) to account for inflation in FY25 to assist with the continuing strain on healthcare resources, such as hospitals and long-term care facilities, and the healthcare workforce.
  • Urge CMS to create a permanent hospital-to-home program rather than its current waiver process to allow for greater access to healthcare.
 

Safeguarding Dobbins Air Reserve Base and Supporting Growth of Our Military and Defense Community

  • Support current and future missions and resources for Dobbins Air Reserve Base.
  • Continue to support funding of facilities needed to relocate the U.S. Army Reserve’s 81st Readiness Division unit to Dobbins Airforce Reserve Base.
  • Oppose continuing resolutions, which fail to provide adequate payroll funding for Reservists.
  • Support full adds for C130J and F-35 aircraft that provide direct and indirect Georgia jobs.
  • Support the availability of TRICARE Reserve Select Insurance for Air Force Reservists, who are also federal civilian employees, which comprise a large portion of the population in Cobb County.
  • Support increased pay for our troops and the modernization of our U.S. Armed Forces.