An effort to wrap up major legislation by the weekend, new travel guidelines, investor support for green building initiatives, a new trend of “skimpflation,” an initiative to help women fund women entrepreneurs, and federal funds for workforce training in Connecticut areas hit hard by the opioid crisis are among the top business news items this morning.
National
Democratic lawmakers are looking to have the legislative framework for a major social policy and environmental bill ready by the weekend. Negotiations are continuing on several issues, including tax revisions and paid leave, and the legislation is expected to cost between $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion.
The Biden administration has updated guidelines for travel into the United States, requiring American citizens to test negative for COVID-19 a day before entry and fully vaccinated Americans to test negative three days in advance. Foreign visitors must be fully vaccinated in order to enter the U.S., with some limited exemptions.
Business trends
Real estate developers are encountering more pressure from investors to incorporate sustainability into their projects, including tracking to metrics aimed at reducing a building’s carbon footprint. The trend comes in response to climate change risks, with investors seeing green buildings as a safer investment that are better able to withstand extreme climate events.
NPR’s Planet Money suggests that customers are encountering a trend of “skimpflation” where they pay the same amount of money for diminished services. It gives examples such as longer food delivery times and reduced hotel breakfast and housekeeping services.
Connecticut
An initiative encouraging women entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas to other women, who can help fund their startup, has started up in Connecticut. The Tidal River Investor Network has funded three companies so far.
Connecticut is receiving $1.6 million in incremental funding from the U.S. Labor Department to help support job creation and workforce training in communities significantly affected by opioid use and addiction. The funding is part of a $4.8 million grant awarded to the Connecticut Department of Labor in 2019.
