Pappas’s Legislation to Improve Disaster Assistance for Rural Small Businesses Passes House

Yesterday Congressman Chris Pappas’s (NH-01) Rural Small Business Resilience Act passed the House. Pappas introduced this legislation earlier this year alongside Representatives Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Aaron Bean (FL-04), and Troy Downing (MT-02). If enacted into law, this legislation will improve access to disaster assistance for rural small businesses.

"Rural small businesses face unique challenges and a one-size-fits-all approach by government agencies is ineffective in providing the support they need,” said Congressman Pappas. “This bipartisan legislation would require the Small Business Administration to ensure its outreach and marketing efforts are reaching rural small businesses and they have full access to SBA disaster assistance. I remain committed to ensuring New Hampshire's Main Street economy can grow and thrive, and I urge the Senate to quickly take up this legislation so we can enact these measures into law.”

Background:

Specifically, the Rural Small Business Resilience Act will 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.

In the 118th Congress, Pappas’s Rural Small Business Resilience Act passed the House with unanimous, bipartisan support.