Letter to the Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, and the Hon. Kevin McCarthy, House Minority Leader - Pappas Calls on Congress to Pass Bipartisan Legislation to Support Local Communities and Small Businesses in New Hampshire

Letter

Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leader McCarthy:

My constituents appreciate your leadership in quickly securing passage of the CARES Act (P.L. 116-136), which will provide billions in desperately-needed federal aid to New Hampshire families, workers, and businesses. However, our job is far from complete. We must continue working cooperatively across the aisle to quickly deliver relief to the American people. As you develop the next coronavirus legislative package, I write to urge you to continue to prioritize the urgent needs of local communities and small businesses.

Specifically, I urge your consideration of the following policies to support New Hampshire's Main Street economy at this exceptionally challenging time for our state and our nation:

-Dramatically increase support for state and local governments, recognizing the mounting budgetary pressures that cities and towns in New Hampshire are facing as well as the crucial role they continue to play in combating the virus. Congress should also allow communities under 500,000 residents to access direct federal support and provide maximum flexibility for state and local governments to use federal funds for critical services.

-Increase funding and extend the 8-week loan forgiveness window to enable the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to better meet the needs of New Hampshire small businesses and expand availability to low-interest lending through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program (EIDL).

-Streamline the application processes, ease some of the most restrictive terms, provide more clarity and transparency, and ensure that these essential loans quickly reach New Hampshire small business owners anxiously awaiting federal assistance. For example, limitations on the use of PPP funding for non-payroll expenses should be relaxed to provide greater flexibility to small businesses to meet their specific needs.

-Designate resources specifically for community lenders and ensure that small businesses without a pre-existing relationship with a participating financial institution can still take advantage of the PPP.

-Include language in the next coronavirus relief package to enable local chambers of commerce and other 501(c)6 organizations that support the needs of small businesses to access direct federal aid.

Again, the CARES Act is already making a significant positive difference. However, additional support for local communities and small businesses is essential in the difficult weeks and months ahead. Thank you for your attention to this request and your diligent and committed work during this crisis.

Source