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Rep. Pappas Supports House Coronavirus Response Package

March 27, 2020

Pappas and bipartisan coalition of lawmakers won significant expansion of help for small business in final bill, including cash-advances, low-cost loans and tax credits

In the difficult weeks ahead, Pappas says Congress needs to stay focused on supporting frontline health care workers and sustaining NH's Main Street economy

Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) applauded House passage of the latest bipartisan coronavirus response and relief package. This critical legislation now heads to President Trump's desk for his signature.

"Today I supported bipartisan legislation to send billions in desperately-needed federal aid to New Hampshire families, workers and businesses," said Congressman Pappas. "After three telephone town halls and countless conversations with Granite Staters who are worried about losing their jobs and keeping their families safe, I knew we had to deliver comprehensive relief.. This bill provides massive federal investments in our state's strained health care system and our struggling Main Street economy. But the job isn't done. Congress needs to stay squarely focused on assisting our frontline health care professionals and supporting the small businesses and workers who are our economic engine. I am eager to return to New Hampshire to continue assisting constituents and working with officials to leverage all available tools to safeguard our people and our communities."

To help New Hampshire families weather the current economic downturn, the bill will provide direct payments totaling $3400 for a family of four [making below $150,000] and a significant expansion of unemployment benefits. The package also includes $200 billion that will flow directly to hospitals, health systems, and researchers to ramp up our capacity to care for individuals suffering from the virus and support the development of new countermeasures.

In addition, Pappas and a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers successfully fought for a dramatic increase in resources to sustain Main Street businesses at this perilous moment for the New Hampshire economy, including a massive increase in low-cost lending to small businesses, cash advances on small business loans, deferral of payments on existing federal loan debt, and targeted tax credits to help prevent layoffs.

Specifically, the bill includes key elements of the Main Street economic rescue plan that Pappas called for last week:

  • Key components of Rep. Pappas's Too Small to Fail Act, such as eliminating certain eligibility restrictions and fees on SBA loans, providing emergency grants of up to $10,000 for small businesses and nonprofits, and deferring loan payments on existing SBA loans for at least 6 months;
  • The restoration of the Employee Retention Tax Credit to help struggling small businesses keep workers on payroll – a step that Pappas and a bipartisan coalition of Members of Congress urged House leadership to take earlier this week;
  • An additional $600 per week for up to four months in unemployment benefits; and,
  • Direct payments to American families of $1200 for individuals or $2400 for couples, with an additional $500 per child for families.

Other critical components of the legislation that will aid New Hampshire families, workers and businesses include:

  • $5.4 million in CDC Coronavirus Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) program grants that will flow to New Hampshire;
  • A $150 billion State and Local Coronavirus Relief Fund, with $1.25 billion going directly to help New Hampshire;
  • $200 billion for our hospitals, health systems, and health research, including expanding funding for the personal protective equipment desperately needed by our health care workers;
  • $900 million to help low-income families pay their heating and cooling bills through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), with New Hampshire receiving $5.54 million of these funds;
  • $2 billion for HUD Emergency Solution Grants to providing housing to vulnerable families, with $7.5 million going to New Hampshire; and
  • More than $100 million to improve access to broadband in rural areas and strengthen long-distance learning and telemedicine programs that serve rural communities.