White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett says COVID-19 liability protection is a great concern for the Trump administration as states reopen their economies.
“I think liability protection is one of the top priorities for this administration and for the president,” Hassett said Tuesday during an appearance on Newsmax TV’s “Spicer & Co.”
“It came up yesterday at the restaurant meeting. It’s definitely something the legal team, White House counsel’s office, Justice Department – everybody’s talking about how to do it. I would guess that if there’s another round of legislation that that’s going to be one of the main asks of Republicans.”
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are pushing for liability protections for businesses as part of another potential relief bill being crafted in response to the pandemic.
“The most important thing for small business is certainty,” Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., told Spectrum News on Monday.
“If they are circled by ambitious and opportunistic trial lawyers who want to hold people up for a few thousand dollars here, a few thousand there, it will stymie our ability to get back on our feet.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell last week said any forthcoming bill would include “significant new protections” and “raise the liability threshold” for medical malpractice lawsuits.
"Senate Republicans are preparing a major package of COVID[-19]-related liability reforms. ... Our legislation is going to create a legal safe harbor for businesses, nonprofits, governments and workers and schools who are following public health guidelines to the best of their ability," McConnell said from the Senate floor.
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Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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