Pappas, Bean, Golden, Mann Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Rural Small Businesses

This week, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), along with Congressman Aaron Bean (FL-04), Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02), and Congressman Tracey Mann (KS-01), introduced the Rural Small Business Resilience Act. This bipartisan legislation would require the Small Business Administration (SBA) to develop specific outreach policies and procedures for rural communities and ensure that rural small businesses have full access to SBA disaster assistance, specifically tailoring outreach and marketing plans for SBA's Disaster Loan Program to address challenges rural communities face in accessing disaster relief.

"New Hampshire's rural small businesses are part of the backbone of our economy and make up the fabric of our rural communities," said Congressman Pappas. "We know that rural small businesses face unique challenges and that a one-size-fits-all approach by government agencies is simply ineffective in providing the support they need. This bipartisan legislation would require the Small Business Administration to tailor its outreach and marketing efforts to reach rural businesses and ensure that small businesses in rural areas have full access to SBA disaster assistance. I remain committed to ensuring New Hampshire's Main Street economy can grow and thrive, and I will continue to work in a bipartisan fashion to build support for this and other legislation to help Granite State small businesses."

“In the wake of a natural disaster, making sure small businesses can get back up and running is crucial. As we enter hurricane season in Northeast Florida, I’m proud to work with Congressman Pappas to eliminate bureaucratic red-tape and get much-needed emergency relief resources into the hands of those that really need it,” said Congressman Bean.

“When disaster strikes, getting the right help at the right time can make sure a small business stays afloat,” said Congressman Golden. “Many along Maine’s working waterfronts are now facing that exact challenge after particularly damaging winter storms. Rural Americans deserve equal access to critical SBA resources, and this bipartisan effort will ensure that the agency is taking every step necessary to provide timely relief.”

Background:

Congressman Pappas is a small business owner and member of the House Committee on Small Business. In February, the House passed a bill led by Pappas with strong bipartisan support to improve the Small Business Administration's Office of Rural Affairs to strengthen support for rural small businesses in New Hampshire and across the country.

Pappas also introduced the Expanding Access to Capital for Rural Job Creators Act, which would expand the Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation to include rural small businesses, ensure that the concerns of rural businesses are heard, and ultimately deliver New Hampshire's rural businesses the tools and resources they need to thrive.