Advocacy

Federal Legislative Agenda

The 2023 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

Emerging from the pandemic, Cobb County’s business community continues to prove its resilience and adaptability to ongoing and unpredictable change. While Georgia continues to be the number one state for business for the ninth consecutive year, our members face inflationary pressures, workforce challenges, ever-evolving patterns of consumer behavior, and a more complex federal regulatory landscape.

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. As a member of the Georgia Congressional Delegation, your attention to these issues is vital. We thank you for serving our county, state, and nation.

 

 

Fostering a Resilient Economy:

  • Oppose legislation 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 tax policy and legislation allowing manufacturing and technology companies to deduct their research and development expenses in the year incurred.
  • 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 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.
  • 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 to infrastructure projects that include federal funding.
  • Support the streamlining of competitive grant program application processes to better direct projects of local priority to the most competitive grant applicant.
  • Support policies that streamline federal oversight and regulatory processes for federally funded projects.
  • 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 health care coverage to their employees.
  • Support full tax deductibility of health plan premiums for individuals and businesses.
  • Support adding full tax deductibility of health plan premiums for 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 FY24 to assist with the continuing strain on healthcare resources, such as hospitals and long-term care facilities, and the healthcare workforce.
  • Support the bipartisan delay of the Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) cuts scheduled to begin in October, as the Medicaid DSH program is critical to maintaining access to essential care for low-income, uninsured, and Medicaid patients.
  • Oppose any significant changes to the 340B Drug Pricing Program, which has provided financial relief from high prescription drug costs to hospitals that treat a high volume of indigent and Medicare/Medicaid patients.
 

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

  • Support the current missions and resources on and connected to Dobbins Air Reserve Base, as well as support for future mission growth.
  • Support efforts to relocate the U.S. Army Reserve’s 81st Readiness Division unit to Dobbins Airforce Reserve Base.
  • Support passage of the FY 23 NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act)
  • Oppose continuing resolutions for the Federal Budget approval. Budget continuing resolutions do not provide adequate payroll funding for our Reservists.
  • Support full adds for C130J and F-35 aircraft that provide over 16,000 direct and indirect GA jobs.
  • Insist on a full, fair, and best-value competition for the Air Force’s new air refueling tanker program.
  • 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.
Contact:
Amanda Seals

770-859-2322