From: PA06.SmallBusinesses@mail.house.gov <PA06.SmallBusiness@mail.house.gov>
Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2020 10:40 AM
Subject: Updates and information for small businesses

Good morning,

We write to provide the latest updates on the federal and state responses to COVID-19.

This afternoon, the House of Representatives will vote on the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, which the Senate passed on Tuesday and includes $310 billion for PPP loans, $10 billion for EIDL grants, and $50 billion for EIDL loans. A summary of the legislation provided by the House Small Business Committee, of which Rep. Houlahan is a member, is attached to this email.

Rep. Houlahan has aggressively advocated for a PPP set-aside for small and community banks within these new funds. We are pleased to see $30 billion in this package dedicated to small banks and credit unions, including minority depository institutions, as well as another $30 billion for medium-sized banks and credit unions, including Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). These set-asides will help to ensure PPP loans make it into the hands of those for whom this program was designed—the smallest of businesses upon which our economy is built.

This legislation also expands eligibility for EIDL to agricultural producers, an issue about which we’ve heard from many in our community. Rep. Houlahan has also called for the extension of PPP eligibility to other types of 501(c) non-profits. You can read her letter to House leadership on this topic here. Although many of these organizations are still not eligible for EIDL or PPP loans, Rep. Houlahan will continue to press congressional leadership on this issue and advocate on behalf of the many non-profit organizations in our community.

Rep. Houlahan looks forward to voting in favor of this important small business relief package today, and we expect that the legislation will be signed into law soon after. We are hopeful that the release of funds will be in short order.

A few notes on the status of EIDL and PPP loan applications given the recent lapse in funding:

If you submitted an EIDL application prior to the lapse in funding, you do NOT need to reapply. Your application is in the queue and will be processed on a first-come, first-serve basis once funding is available. You can call the SBA customer service hotline with any questions about your EIDL application 1-800-659-2955
If you submitted a PPP loan application prior to the lapse in funding, please check in with your lender on the status of your application. You may need to ask them to resubmit on your behalf once funding is available.

Governor Wolf announced yesterday his plan for reopening businesses in Pennsylvania with a target start date of May 8th. You can find the announcement here. The full plan is available here.

The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) also announced yesterday that that the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA), Pennsylvania Minority Business Development Authority (PMBDA), and Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) are deferring loans and that the maturity dates and amortization schedules of all applicable loans are extended by three additional calendar months. You can find additional details here.

Please let us know if you have any questions. As always, please continue to check our website for updates and send questions to our various COVID-19 email addresses:

PA06.UnemploymentCompensation@mail.house.gov – For questions and information regarding the temporary extended eligibility for unemployment compensation.
PA06.TaxesAndRebates@mail.house.gov – For questions and information regarding IRS filings and economic impact payments (individual rebates).

Sincerely,

The Office of U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan

Pennsylvania 6^th Congressional District

(202) 225-4315

PA06.SmallBusiness@mail.house.gov

Attachment:
PPP and Health Care Enhancement Act Summary

From: PA06.SmallBusinesses@mail.house.gov
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2020 9:21 PM
Subject: Updates and information for small businesses

Good evening,

Below are the most recent updates on the federal and state government responses to the COVID-19 crisis.

As you may know, the funds for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program were expended last week, and the SBA is not accepting applications until more funding is made available. Attached is some data provided by the SBA on the PPP loans that have been provided thus far. The SBA approved 69,567 PPP loans in Pennsylvania, totaling more than $15 billion. The House of Representatives is expected to vote on additional funding for these loan programs, hospitals, and COVID-19 testing as soon as Wednesday, April 22^nd. We will provide more information as we have it.

This past Friday, Rep. Houlahan hosted a small business telephone town hall with representatives from the SBA and SCORE to discuss PPP and EIDL. If you were unable to participate in that call, you can listen to the conversation online here.

Today, Governor Wolf announced the following changes to Pennsylvania COVID-19 business operations policy:

Car Sales May Be Conducted Online: The governor signed Senate Bill 841 today that approves qualified Pennsylvania notaries public to perform remote online notarizations, which will allow auto dealerships to conducted limited car sales and leasing operations through online sales, as a notary is required to complete the transaction. Auto dealerships may continue to remain open for certain activities, such as repairs to passenger and commercial vehicles and sales of auto parts, but in-person car sales or leases are still considered non-life sustaining and remain prohibited at this time.
Construction With Strict Guidelines Resumes Friday, May 8: Residential and non-residential construction may resume statewide with safety limitations starting Friday, May 8. Commonwealth agencies and political subdivisions may decide to resume public construction projects as needed in a safe means. Construction projects must follow guidance issued by the commonwealth.
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) Begins Limited Curbside Pickup: The PLCB today began accepting orders by phone for curbside pickup at 176 locations. Phone orders can be placed from 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., or until reaching a store’s maximum order capacity each day. Curbside pickups will be scheduled from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. within a few days of order placement. Callers will be guided through each store’s unique inventory. There is a limit of six bottles per order, and credit cards are the only accepted form of payment. At pickup, customers will be required to present identification before the order is delivered. The PLCB website lists the stores offering curbside pickup. PLCB anticipates expanding the service at more locations in the future. The PLCB website, FineWineAndGoodSpirits.com, is also increasing order capacity.

Governor Wolf’s administration also announced today the release of the first round of COVID-19 Working Capital Access (CWCA) Program Funding. Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin announced that 126 companies in 30 counties have received approved funding through a new program developed under the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority’s (PIDA) Small Business First Fund, the COVID-19 Working Capital Access Program (CWCA), totaling more than $10 million. PIDA staff continue to review submitted applications for approval and are actively working with DCED’s Certified Economic Development Organizations (CEDOs) to disburse CWCA loan funds at the time of approval. Information on future awardees will be released as it becomes available. A list of approved projects can be found here. Businesses seeking further guidance and clarification from DCED can also contact its customer service resource account at ra-dcedcs@pa.gov.

Please let us know if you have any questions. As always, please continue to check our website for updates and send questions to our various COVID-19 email addresses:

PA06.UnemploymentCompensation@mail.house.gov – For questions and information regarding the temporary extended eligibility for unemployment compensation.
PA06.TaxesAndRebates@mail.house.gov – For questions and information regarding IRS filings and economic impact payments (individual rebates).

Sincerely,

The Office of U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan

Pennsylvania 6^th Congressional District

(202) 225-4315

PA06.SmallBusiness@mail.house.gov

Attachment:
04.16.2020 SBA PPP Report

From: PA06.SmallBusinesses@mail.house.gov
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2020 8:33 AM
Subject: Updates and information for small businesses

Good morning,

We wanted to provide a few updates on the federal government’s COVID-19 response and Rep. Houlahan’s work to ensure small businesses get the help they need.

Based on your feedback on the EIDL and PPP loan processes, Rep. Houlahan sent the attached letter to congressional leadership asking for the fourth COVID-19 legislative aid package to address the issues raised by her constituents. Specifically, this letter requests the inclusion the following priorities:

Additional PPP and EIDL funding set aside specifically for small/community banks and/or businesses with fewer than 25 employees
Additional funding for the SBA to speed the process of approving new PPP lenders
Additional funding for business mentorship programs, including SCORE
Expansion of the permitted uses for EIDL and PPP loans
Automatic funding extensions to ensure EIDL and PPP loans are available for as long as we endure the COVID-19 crisis

Rep. Houlahan has also signed letters written by her colleagues to the SBA and Department of the Treasury requesting clear SBA guidance on the PPP loan process for lenders, proactive outreach regarding the PPP to underserved and minority communities, and prioritization of businesses with fewer than 25 employees for PPP lending. We understand how frustrating and complicated these programs have been for many in our community, and Rep. Houlahan is committed to ensuring everyone has equal access to these innovative and important programs during this uncertain time. We appreciate you sharing your stories with us and we will continue to advocate for these measures as Congress considers next steps.

The House Committee on Small Business, of which Rep. Houlahan is a member, also released the “Navigate the CARES Act for Small Businesses” guide which contains updates and information on the implementation of the CARES Act. That document is attached to this email.

On April 9, 2020 the Department of the Treasury and the IRS announced that tax returns and payments for tax-exempt organizations and fiscal year businesses due between April and June are postponed until July 15, 2020. For additional information, click here.

Finally, this Friday, April 17^th, at 3PM, Rep. Houlahan will host a second telephone townhall specifically for small business owners. She will be joined by representatives from the local SBA office and SCORE to answer your questions about PPP, EIDL, and other small business issues. If you would like to join, please RSVP by Thursday, April 16^th at 6PM at the following link: https://myaccount.maestroconference.com/conference/register/AWFRF2RAO2N00SPB

We hope you can join us.

As always, please continue to check our website for updates and send questions to our various COVID-19 email addresses:

PA06.UnemploymentCompensation@mail.house.gov – For questions and information regarding the temporary extended eligibility for unemployment compensation.
PA06.TaxesAndRebates@mail.house.gov – For questions and information regarding IRS filings and economic impact payments (individual rebates).

Sincerely,

The Office of U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan

Pennsylvania 6^th Congressional District

(202) 225-4315

PA06.SmallBusiness@mail.house.gov

Attachments:
Navigate the CARES Act for Small Businesses
Houlahan Letter to Leadership on Small Business Issues

From: PA06.SmallBusinesses@mail.house.gov
Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2020 8:59 PM
Subject: Updates and information for small businesses

Good evening,

We wanted to make sure you saw that the Department of the Treasury released new FAQs regarding the Paycheck Protection Program. The Department will continue to update these FAQs on their website here, but the most recent version is attached for your convenience.

If you have applied for the EIDL program, please be assured that the SBA is working to process the influx of requests for these loans as quickly as possible. It is our understanding that disbursements of the EIDL advance will begin this week. Your patience is appreciated as the federal government works to ensure the disbursement of these funds is protected from fraud and error.

Additionally, our office has stood up two new resources for questions regarding other key components of the federal government response to COVID-19 and the CARES Act:

PA06.UnemploymentCompensation@mail.house.gov – For questions and information regarding the temporary extended eligibility for unemployment compensation.
PA06.TaxesAndRebates@mail.house.gov – For questions and information regarding IRS filings and economic impact payments (individual rebates).

We have heard from many of you about the difficulties in applying for and accessing these loans. As Congress considers a fourth COVID-19 emergency aid package, please be assured we are communicating your feedback to the SBA and congressional leadership.

As always, please reach out with any questions.

The Office of U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan

Pennsylvania 6^th Congressional District

(202) 225-4315

PA06.SmallBusiness@mail.house.gov

From: PA06.SmallBusinesses@mail.house.gov
Sent: Monday, April 6, 2020 3:51 PM
Subject: Updates and information for small businesses

Good afternoon,

Over the weekend, the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Department of the Treasury provided new guidance and rules regarding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

On Saturday, the SBA announced clarifying guidance that all faith-based organizations impacted by Coronavirus (COVID-19) are eligible to participate in the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, without restrictions based on their religious identity or activities, to the extent they meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the CARES Act. For additional questions regarding eligibility for PPP loans, EIDL and other SBA loan programs, please visit the SBA website here.

The Department of the Treasury released additional guidance regarding affiliation rules for PPP. For purposes of determining borrower eligibility under the size standards, the SBA has adopted affiliation standards. Entities deemed affiliated with the borrower are aggregated with the borrower for purposes of applying the SBA’s receipts and employee tests. A summary of the new affiliation guidance is attached to this email for your convenience.

Treasury and the SBA also released guidance deeming agricultural producers eligible to participate in PPP. Producers should reach out to their bankers and/or agricultural lenders to apply immediately. While SBA still needs to confirm some administrative details, loans will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis and producers can get started on the application now.

As always, please continue to check the SBA and Treasury websites for up-to-date information on all programs established under the CARES Act. SBA works with a number of local partners to counsel, mentor, and train small businesses. The SBA has 68 District Offices, as well as support provided by its Resource Partners, such as SCORE offices, Women’s Business Centers, Small Business Development Centers and Veterans Business Outreach Centers. When faced with a business need, use the SBA’s Local Assistance Directory to locate the office nearest you.

Lastly, we understand that many lending institutions are only offering PPP loans to their current clients, or have not yet received SBA approval for their application to provide PPP loans. We encourage you to continue checking the SBA website here for a list of current PPP lenders in your area. SBA will continue to update this list as lenders are added.

Sincerely,

The Office of U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan

Pennsylvania 6^th Congressional District

(202) 225-4315

PA06.SmallBusiness@mail.house.gov

From: PA06.SmallBusinesses@mail.house.gov
Sent: Friday, April 3, 2020 11:11 AM
Subject: Updates and information for small businesses

Apologies, attached is the updated PPP application form, provided by the Department of the Treasury.

You can search for PPP lenders in your area here. SBA will continue to update this list as lenders are added.

The Office of U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan

Pennsylvania 6^th Congressional District

(202) 225-4315

PA06.SmallBusiness@mail.house.gov

From: PA06.SmallBusinesses@mail.house.gov
Sent: Friday, April 3, 2020 10:54 AM
Subject: Updates and information for small businesses

Good morning,

As you may know, the Department of the Treasury announced that today, April 3, would be the first day lending institutions would accept applications for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) created under the CARES Act. However, many institutions are unable to accept applications at this time and are working to make those loans available as soon as possible.

Late last night, the Small Business Administration put out its initial guidance to lending institutions on PPP. This included raising the initial 0.5% fixed interest rate to 1% in order to support small and community banks. You can read that guidance here.

We are also aware that some banks are only offering PPP loans to their existing members to facilitate these loans as quickly as possible. Rep. Houlahan and the federal government are encouraging all lending institutions to make PPP loans available to new customers. Please continue to check with your preferred lender to see if and when they will be offering PPP loans.

Finally, a reminder that today is the last day to submit a request for exemption from Governor Wolf’s closure order for non-essential businesses. You can apply online for an exemption here.

If you have any questions, please reach out.

The Office of U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan

Pennsylvania 6^th Congressional District

(202) 225-4315

PA06.SmallBusiness@mail.house.gov

From: PA06.SmallBusinesses@mail.house.gov
Sent: Monday, March 30, 2020 7:56 PM
Subject: Updates and information for small businesses

Good evening,

As you may know, on Friday, Congress passed and the President signed into law the third COVID-19 emergency aid legislation known as the CARES Act. Federal agencies are now working to implement and roll out the new programs and funding included in the CARES Act.

If you are interested in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) or other Small Business Administration (SBA) programs that were created under CARES Act but are not yet available, sign up here for email updates from the SBA to ensure you know when these resources become available. The SBA continues to process applications for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, and is encouraging businesses to do so as soon as possible if they are interested in these loans. PPP can be used in coordination with other COVID-financing assistance established in the bill or any other existing SBA loan program.

For business owners interested in unemployment compensation, under the CARES Act, eligibility for UC has been expanded to provide benefits to self-employed individuals, independent contractors, “gig economy” employees, and individuals who were unable to start a new job or contract due to the pandemic. Individuals will apply for these temporary new federal benefits at the state UC office. Extended UC benefits are not yet available in Pennsylvania. However, the UC website will be updated with information about extended benefits when they become available: https://www.uc.pa.gov/Pages/covid19.aspx

For information on refundable tax credits related to paid sick and family leave, please visit the IRS website here and check for updates.

As part of the CARES Act, SBA resource partners received $265 million for counseling and training. Women’s Business Centers (WBCs) are a national network of more than 100 centers that offer one-on-one counseling, training, networking, workshops, technical assistance and mentoring to entrepreneurs on numerous business development topics. In addition to women, WBCs are mandated to serve the needs of underserved entrepreneurs, including low-income entrepreneurs. They often offer flexible hours to meet the needs of their diverse clientele. To find out more about WBCs, visit https://www.awbc.org/. You can also contact your local WBC for information:

Philadelphia - Women’s Business Enterprise Center East

Isabel Krome

(215) 790-9232

ikrome@wbeceast.com

Lancaster - WBC @ Assets Lancaster

Melisa Baez

(717) 393-6089

Melisa@assetspa.org

Attached to this email you can find three additional resources:

An SBA Resource guide, including a list of SBA-backed lenders in PA (page 29)
A flow chart with information on the SBA PPP and EIDL programs
A fact sheet on the Pennsylvania COVID-19 Working Capital Access (CWCA) Program

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Sincerely,

The Office of Rep. Chrissy Houlahan

Pennsylvania’s 6^th Congressional District

(202) 225-4315

PA06.SmallBusiness@mail.house.gov

From: PA06.SmallBusinesses@mail.house.gov
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2020 10:31 AM
Subject: FFCRA and CARES Act information for small businesses

Good morning,

As you may know, today the House of Representatives is poised to vote on the third COVID-19 emergency aid package, known as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. At the end of this email is a topline summary of some of the key provisions in that legislation. Additionally, attached to this email is a document providing further information and guidance on the small business provisions in the bill.

The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the bill today, Friday March 27^th, before the bill is sent to the President’s desk for signature.

Although this bill has not yet been signed into law, we are happy to share as much information with you as we can while the situation progresses. We are still learning exactly how these measures will be implemented and how this legislation may benefit you directly. However, we will do our best to answer any questions you may have.

Additionally, on Friday, March 20, 2020, the U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Department of Labor announced that small and midsize employers can begin taking advantage of two new refundable payroll tax credits, designed to immediately and fully reimburse them, dollar-for-dollar, for the cost of providing Coronavirus-related leave to their employees. This relief to employees and small and midsize businesses is provided under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, signed by President Trump on March 18, 2020. We wanted to make you aware that the U.S. Department of Labor published its first round of implementation guidance pursuant to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The guidance addresses critical questions such as:

How does an employer count its number of employees to determine coverage?
How can small businesses obtain an exemption?
How does an employer count hours for part-time employees?
How does an employer calculate wages employees are entitled to under the FFCRA?

The initial guidance is available in three-parts:

The U.S. Department of Labor will also be hosting a national online dialogue to provide employers and employees with an innovative opportunity to offer their perspective as the Department develops compliance assistance materials and outreach strategies related to the implementation of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The ideas and comments gathered from this dialogue will inform compliance assistance guidance, resources, and tools, as well as outreach approaches, that assist employers and employees in understanding their responsibilities and rights under the FFCRA. Please submit input by March 29, 2020. Anyone interested can participate online at https://ffcra.ideascale.com through March 29, 2020 or can join a Twitter chat hosted by @ePolicyWorks on March 25, 2020 at 2 p.m. using the hashtag #EPWChat.

Thank you,

The Office of Rep. Chrissy Houlahan

(202) 225-4315

PA06.SmallBusiness@mail.house.gov

5 Key Provisions in the CARES Act:

$1,200 in direct payments to taxpayers with incomes up to $75,000 per year before starting to phase out and ending altogether for those earning more than $99,000. Families would receive an additional $500 per child, in an attempt to create a safety net for those whose jobs and businesses are affected by the pandemic.
Extension of unemployment benefits that would extend jobless insurance by 13 weeks and include a four-month enhancement of benefits. This extension of benefits would include freelancers, furloughed employees, and gig workers.
Federally guaranteed loans would be made available at community banks for small businesses that pledge not to lay off their workers. The loans would be available during an emergency period ending June 30, and would be forgiven if the employer continued to pay workers for the duration of the crisis.
Loans for distressed companies would come from a $425 billion fund controlled by the Federal Reserve, and an additional $75 billion would be available for industry-specific loans.
$100 billion for hospitals and health systems across the nation and billions more to furnish personal and protective equipment and increased for health care workers, testing supplies, and new construction to house patients. Also included are Medicare payment increases to all hospitals and providers.