Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), president and chief executive officer, Barton James issued the following statement upon passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act:

“ACCA thanks members of the House and Senate for their leadership, and President Donald Trump for signing the CARES Act, an essential legislation that will help HVACR contractors support their workers as we endure these challenging times. ACCA is thankful that this legislation was passed at record speed, and that many of the frivolous provisions that some members of Congress insisted upon, which threatened to hold up this legislation, were removed from the negotiations.”

“While this legislation is not perfect, ACCA knows that the Small Business Administration loans and loan forgiveness provisions will be critical to supporting ACCA members. ACCA is pleased that thousands of HVACR professionals used ACCA’s action alert to contact their members of Congress, and advocate for robust legislation that protects their businesses. ACCA’s grassroots initiatives are critical in ensuring that Congress understands how their actions will impact the HVACR industry, which is a vital backbone of the American economy.”

“ACCA looks forward to working with the Treasury Department, Department of Labor, and Small Business Administration, to make sure these funds are distributed as soon as possible. ACCA also looks forward to our continued work with other regulatory agencies on implementation to get contractors and their workers the support they need.”