Press Releases
Senator Hawley Introduces Joint Resolution to Withdraw from WTO
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced a joint resolution to withdraw the United States from the World Trade Organization (WTO). Earlier this week, Senator Hawley penned an op-ed in the New York Times calling for the United States to lead the way to abolishing the WTO as the Chinese Communist Party has weaponized the WTO to its benefit at the expense of American workers.
Hawley’s Bill to Stop Universities with Massive Endowments from Receiving COVID Aid Sees Momentum in Congress
U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) have cosponsored Senator Josh Hawley’s (R-Mo.) bill to prohibit universities from receiving Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds from the CARES Act if they have an endowment larger than $10 billion, unless they first spend some of their own money on coronavirus-related financial assistance for students. Representatives Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Ben Cline (R-Va.) are introducing companion legislation in the House.
Senator Hawley to United Airlines: Keep Your Promises to Workers or Give CARES Act Money Back
On the same day United Airlines announced a cut to 15,000 employees’ hours, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz demanding the company reverse the decision or return the generous taxpayer-funded bailout it received from the CARES Act. United’s announcement to employees comes just over a month after they assured employees that they “will not conduct involuntary furloughs or pay cuts in the U.S. before September 30th.”
Hawley, Blunt Recognize Silver Star Service Banner Day
“We will never forget the sacrifices made by the brave men, women, and their families who answered the call to serve and secured the freedoms we enjoy today. These heroes selflessly put themselves in harm’s way, and I hope all Americans will take a moment to honor those wounded and ill service members and veterans every May 1st for Silver Star Service Banner Day.”
Sens. Hawley, Cruz Call for Ban on U.S. Officials Using Tencent, Huawei, ZTE, Other Chinese Communist Party-Backed Platforms
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) joined Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in introducing the Countering Chinese Attempts at Snooping Act (CCAS) to prohibit U.S. federal employees from conducting official business on platforms run by Tencent, Huawei, ZTE, and other companies the State Department determines cooperate with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In light of the United Nations’ (UN) recent consideration of a partnership with Tencent, the CCAS Act also ensures U.S. taxpayer dollars are not used to fund UN contracts with any such companies.
Senators Hawley, Baldwin Ask FTC to Open Antitrust Investigation into Meatpackers Amid Plant Closures
U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to open an antitrust investigation into the meatpacking industry. The industry is currently dominated by just a handful of large, multinational firms that have concentrated meat processing into fewer and fewer facilities, leaving America’s food supply chain vulnerable to disruptions.
Senator Hawley Requests Criminal Antitrust Investigation of Amazon
Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr requesting the Department of Justice (DOJ) open a criminal antitrust investigation of Amazon. Recent reporting has revealed that Amazon uses its position as an online platform to stifle competition by collecting detailed data on merchandise in order to create rival products under its own brand. “Abusing one’s position as a marketplace platform to create copycat products always is bad, but it is especially concerning now. Thousands of small businesses have been forced to suspend in-store retail and instead rely on Amazon because of shutdowns related to the coronavirus pandemic. Amazon’s reported data practices are an existential threat that may prevent these businesses from ever recovering.”
Sen. Hawley Writes to Treasury, SBA: Don’t Let Wall Street Greed Undermine Small Biz Loan Program
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Jovita Carranza asking they conduct rigorous oversight of the implementation of the Paycheck Protection Program. In the letter Senator Hawley condemns big banks who offered wealthy clients VIP treatment, fast-tracking their applications at the expense of other small businesses who may have applied first.
Hawley, Blunt Urge Administration to Ensure Smaller Colleges & Universities With Work-Study Programs Are Eligible for CARES Act Funding
“It has been brought to our attention that federal work-study students are counted in some cases as employees for purposes of PPP. While the CARES Act defines the term ‘employee’ to include ‘individuals employed on a full-time, part-time, or other basis,’ congressional intent is to stabilize small businesses and non-profits in order to incentivize keeping employees on their employers’ payroll. This purpose is distinct from that of the federal work-study program, and including those students in the PPP employee count is not congressional intent,” the senators wrote. “Please use your statutory authority to ensure that institutions of higher education with less than 500 full time employees can use the resources Congress provided to them to weather the coronavirus pandemic. In our state, many of these institutions are faith-based colleges and universities, and they are vital to the Missouri economy.”
Senator Hawley Announces Bill to Ban Universities from Relief Funds Until Endowments Tapped
Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced legislation to prohibit universities from receiving Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds from the CARES Act if they have an endowment larger than $10 billion, unless they first spend some of their own money on coronavirus-related financial assistance for students. Under the proposal, universities with over $10 billion in endowments would have to spend 10 times the amount appropriated to them according to the formula in the CARES Act to be eligible for federal relief funds. The university would have to demonstrate it spent the money on the same uses of funds required by the CARES Act – emergency financial aid grants to students to cover costs like food, housing, healthcare and childcare, and costs related to the disruption to the...