Retailers say White House and Congress cannot wait on new pandemic recovery legislation

"The pandemic isn’t over and neither is the economic crisis it has created."

NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay

WASHINGTON – The National Retail Federation expressed concern over President Trump’s decision today to stop negotiating with congressional leaders on new legislation intended to help the economy recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

“The pandemic isn’t over and neither is the economic crisis it has created,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “There are many families still struggling to make ends meet and businesses facing obstacles to putting workers back on the payroll. We need a vaccine to ensure our personal health. And we need further stimulus to ensure we can fix an ailing economy, bring people back to work and spur growth in communities large and small.”

NRF has led the retail industry’s call for economic relief, setting out priorities including expansion of the Paycheck Protection Program, tax credits for the cost of personal protective equipment and protection against lawsuits for businesses that follow safety guidelines set by public health agencies.

NRF last week joined more than 200 trade associations to form the COVID Relief Now coalition, which sent a letter to Congress urging immediate and meaningful economic support.

About NRF
The National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade association, passionately advocates for the people, brands, policies and ideas that help retail thrive. From its headquarters in Washington, D.C., NRF empowers the industry that powers the economy. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, contributing $3.9 trillion to annual GDP and supporting one in four U.S. jobs — 52 million working Americans. For over a century, NRF has been a voice for every retailer and every retail job, educating, inspiring and communicating the powerful impact retail has on local communities and global economies.