Coronavirus Government Response Update—EPA Works to Protect Consumers From Fraudulent Claims

Welcome to the Coronavirus Government Response Update. This information is intended to keep ISSA members up to date on fast-moving government affairs related to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other public policy issues important to the cleaning industry. Today’s update touches on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discussion of steps to protect consumers from fraudulent coronavirus disinfectant claims, pared goals for a new congressional stimulus bill, an upcoming ISSA webinar on the U.S. government’s ongoing response to COVID-19, and more.

EPA Discusses Steps to Protect Consumers from Fraudulent Coronavirus Disinfectant Claims
EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler hosted an interactive telephone call with U.S. retailers and third-party marketplace platforms to discuss imposter disinfectant products and those that falsely claim to be effective against the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19. Through tips, complaints, and research, the agency is learning of the availability of such products marketed with unsubstantiated and potentially dangerous claims of protection against the coronavirus and has enlisted the help of the retail community to prevent these products from coming to market. “There is no higher priority for the Trump Administration than protecting the health and safety of Americans,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler.

Pelosi Pares Goals for New Stimulus Bill with Eye on Faster Help
Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi scaled back her ambitions for Congress’s next coronavirus stimulus package to focus on additional direct payments to individuals and expanded loans to businesses, possibly leaving an US$800 billion infrastructure plan and other Democratic priorities for a later bill. “While I’m very much in favor of doing what we need to do to meet the needs of clean water, more broadband and the rest of that, that may have to be for a bill beyond this,” Pelosi said. “I think right now we need a fourth bipartisan bill—and I think the bill could be very much like the bill we just passed.”

Register for ISSA’s Webinar: U.S. Government’s Ongoing Response to COVID-19
Join us for our next webinar, the Part 2: U.S. Governments’ Response to COVID-19. During this webinar, you’ll receive an update on fast-moving government affairs related to the COVID-19 pandemic and how these government responses impact the full spectrum of the cleaning industry. The webinar provides the latest and updated information from ISSA’s March 25 webinar on a similar subject.

Other links of interest

• Become an ISSA Advocate for Clean Today!
• ISSA Coronavirus Government Response FAQ
• ISSATV: How U.S. Governments Are Responding to COVID-19
• U.S. Department of Labor: COVID-19 and the Workplace
• EPA Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)