Sinema Holds Roundtable with Arizona Small Businesses on Accessing New Relief and Saving Arizona Jobs

Press Release

Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema met with Arizona small business leaders to discuss the recently passed COVID-relief law, and how the plan directly supports Arizona jobs, businesses, and families--and how employers can access new support.

"Arizona small businesses fuel our economy and create jobs across our state. I'm committed to ensuring our employers have the support and resources needed to continue recovering from the coronavirus pandemic," said Sinema.

"We appreciate Sen. Sinema's efforts to ensure the Covid relief bill contains public health funding and tools to end the scourge of this pandemic once and for all. Widening and accelerating the distribution of the vaccines is essential to relieving the pressure on our healthcare system and getting the broader economy back to full strength. And her leadership on behalf of restaurateurs, an incredibly important element of Arizona's tourism and hospitality sector, will extend an economic lifeline to an industry that's been battered over the last year," said Garrick Taylor, Interim President and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Sinema successfully secured her bipartisan Restaurant Rescue Plan in the new law, establishing $28.6 billion in direct coronavirus-relief for independent restaurants to keep Arizonans employed.

Sinema also secured an extension of the Employee Retention Tax Credit to help more workers stay connected to the workforce and help more small businesses and nonprofits across the country.

December's coronavirus-relief package provided $325 billion for small businesses -- which included provisions for very small businesses: $20 billion for new Economic Injury Disaster Loan Grants for businesses in low-income communities, $3.5 billion for SBA debt relief, $15 billion for grants for shuttered venue operators, and $2 billion for enhanced SBA lending.

The roundtable, hosted by Greenwood Brewing and Local First Arizona, consisted of local small business leaders in Arizona who shared with Sinema their individual stories and shared experiences as they adapt and recover from the coronavirus pandemic. The roundtable participants included: Landings Credit Union, Melrose Pharmacy, Burch and Cracchiolo, GeekiTek, Co+Hoots Coworking--and focused on the American Rescue Plan and how the Small Business Administration is implementing Sinema's bipartisan law. Sinema and her team continue to press the agency to quickly disburse vital relief to Arizona businesses.

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