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Debt Ceiling Compromise
The debt ceiling showdown concluded in Washington, D.C. as the House and Senate both approved a deal between Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden. The bill, once signed by the President, will suspend the debt limit through January of 2025, cap spending in the 2024 and 2025 budgets, recover unused COVID funds, expedite the permitting process for some energy projects, and incorporate work requirements for food aid programs for those who rely on social safety net programs. |
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United Way Celebrates 100 Years
United Way of Greater Los Angeles is commemorating a century of dedicated service to the community this year. To honor this significant milestone, the United Way of Greater Los Angeles hosted a festival and gala to raise awareness about their mission to break the cycle of poverty for our most vulnerable neighbors, as well as improving the quality of life by creating pathways out of poverty and addressing key challenges in our region, including housing, and climate change. |
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City Approves Amended Tourism Motion
This week, the Los Angeles City Council approved the recommendations from the Economic and Community Development Committee. The proposal instructs the Chief Legislative Analyst to report on the economic impacts of increasing the minimum wage for tourism workers to $25 an hour in 2023, and to $30 an hour by 2028. The Chamber will continue to advocate for a sustainable solution for the industry. |
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L.A. Tech Week
Los Angeles welcomes the annual L.A. Tech Week next week, with events across the city. Throughout the week, more than 450 events — such as fireside chats, inspiring panels, workshops, and more — will be held across Los Angeles. The event showcases the city as a technology hub, focused on the growing ecosystem of founders, venture capitalists and investors. Learn more and register here. |
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| POLICY & ADVOCACY |
Chamber Update from Sacramento
The state legislature has a deadline of today to pass legislation introduced in the respective house, and the Chamber is monitoring a few key pieces of legislation. First, the Chamber has concerns with AB 6 and 7, introduced by Assemblymember Laura Friedman, which have both advanced to the Senate. On AB 7 in particular, the Chamber delivered a coalition letter to the bill sponsor. Other bills of interest are SB 616, which the Chamber opposes, and the Chamber-sponsored bill, AB 1415, which we support. |
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| GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT |
China California Business Forum
Last week, the Chamber attended the China-California Business Forum at the InterContinental Hotel. More than 400 local businesses were also in attendance, including Chinese Government Officials, the Los Angeles Mayor’s office and the Port of Los Angeles. Ken Wengrod, Vice President of Global Trade and Foreign Investment, met with Sun Chenghai, Chairman of the Board of the China International Import Expo Bureau, to discuss promoting the export of U.S. consumer brands from the Los Angeles area to mainland China. |
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Chamber Attends Africa Day Celebration
The Chamber participated in a panel discussion regarding the challenges faced by both American and African businesses entering each other's markets during an Africa Day celebration at the Arizona State University (ASU) California Center. Africa Day commemorates the day the Organization of African Unity (OAU) was established in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This year marked the 60th anniversary. The event was jointly hosted by the U.S. Africa Institute and the ASU Thunderbird School of Management. |
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| COMMUNITY COLLABORATION |
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The Dream Fund Supports Small Businesses
Tara Aesquivel, an expert in nonprofit arts management and event production, is dedicated to empowering talented art professionals to serve their communities through formal education and hands-on experience. Thanks to the Dream Fund grant, Aesquivel was able to join co-working spaces, participate in client recruitment events, and purchase equipment without going into debt. The Chamber Foundation provided valuable technical assistance workshops and support to help Tara Aesquivel — along with 150 other small businesses in the Los Angeles region to qualify for a combined $785,000 in Dream Fund grants. |
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2023 Small Business Summit
Wednesday, June 28 at 9:00 a.m.
Register here for our Small Business Summit: Entrepreneurs, Innovators & Creators. This event supports the small business community and features partners from throughout the region. The Small Business Summit is a great opportunity to support small businesses. We invite you to review sponsorship opportunities here. If you have any questions regarding sponsorship, please contact Andrea Nunn. |
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| CHAMBER BUSINESS NEWS |
Join Tourism Day at City Hall
Join the Hotel Association of Los Angeles, in partnership with the L.A. Tourism & Convention Board, the L.A. City Tourism Department, and Councilwoman Traci Park at the inaugural Tourism Day at L.A. City Hall on Tuesday, June 6. This is a great opportunity to meet with local policymakers to discuss important issues. Participants are invited to meet at the top of City Hall in the gorgeous Tom Bradley Tower room and observation deck for a coffee meet and greet. Learn more here. |
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| MEMBER SPOTLIGHT |
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New Member
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Member Anniversaries
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| COUNCIL MEETINGS & EVENTS |
The State of Artificial Intelligence
Tuesday, June 6, 2:00 p.m.
MEMBER ONLY EVENT
The Innovation and Technology Policy Council will be joined by Ted Ross, Chief Information Officer and General Manager of the Information Technology Agency for the City of Los Angeles, to present the city's efforts in advancing technology and innovation. We'll also hear from Tolian Gjika, Partner at McKinsey & Company, and Medha Bankhwal, Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company, who will discuss a broader overview of AI trends impacting the business community.
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Planning for the Region's Growth and Connectedness
Wednesday, June 7, 9:00 a.m.
MEMBER ONLY EVENT
Join our Land Use, Construction, and Housing Council to hear insights from Vince Bertoni, Director of Planning for the City of Los Angeles. He will discuss the department's latest planning initiatives that the business community should be aware of, such as the DTLA 2040 Community Plan, as well as the implementation of the Mayor’s executive orders to streamline project approval.
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Pancakes & Politics presented by Accenture: Leading on Equity in L.A. County
Friday, June 23, 8:30 a.m.
MEMBER ONLY EVENT
This month, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce welcomes Dr. D'Artagnan Scorza, Executive Director of the Los Angeles County Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative, as our Accenture Pancakes & Politics keynote speaker. Scorza will discuss ARDI and his implementation of Los Angeles County's strategic vision to combat racism and promote equity among County departments and procedures, including procurement, small business growth, and workforce development.
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| VIEW FULL CALENDAR |
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Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
350 S. Bixel Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017 |
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