July 14, 2020 the Honorable Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House U.S
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
July 14, 2020 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi The Honorable Kevin McCarthy Speaker of the House Republican Leader U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives Washington D.C. 20515 Washington D.C. 20515 The Honorable Mitch McConnell The Honorable Chuck Schumer Majority Leader Democratic Leader U.S. Senate U.S. Senate Washington D.C. 20510 Washington D.C. 20510 Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer & Leader McCarthy: We, the members of the International Franchise Association & the Franchise Action Network, representing franchising worldwide, thank you for your continued leadership on behalf of small businesses. We write on behalf of the nation’s franchising community to urge Congress to take immediate steps to provide certain temporary and targeted protections to America’s small businesses that are navigating the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in their local communities. Franchise businesses are currently preparing their employees, management teams, facilities, equipment, products, and services as the nation’s economy gets set to re-open. Additionally, we ask that Congress prepare to ensure that unfair and opportunistic lawsuits do not impede our country’s social and economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. Specifically, we will support proposals that provide reasonable, short-term liability safe harbors to small businesses that take all good-faith efforts to combat COVID-19, while ensuring that any individuals harmed by true bad actors retain appropriate legal recourse. As each state gradually lifts its health-related restrictions, the small business community is aware of developing efforts to file lawsuits against small businesses alleging that customers or employees were infected with COVID-19, either against businesses deemed essential that kept operating, or against shuttered businesses that prepare to re-open. During the coronavirus crisis, franchise businesses have been serving as modern-day “Good Samaritans;” we have been sanitizing health facilities, providing groceries, feeding essential workers, and offering other critical products and services – all at significant health risk to ourselves and our colleagues. Given the historic efforts of Congress and the Administration to provide the necessary liquidity to franchise businesses so we can stay afloat during these critical days, it would be devastating to have these same franchise employers facing a series of unjust lawsuits as the economy revives. Our businesses have served and protected America during this devastating pandemic. As Congress considers additional legislation to address the economic fallout due to COVID-19, we urge you to serve and protect small businesses like ours by enacting reasonable “Good Samaritan” legal protections as the country gradually returns to work. Sincerely, The International Franchise Association and over 7,000 franchise advocates across the country: Christine Teel, AK Hemant Thaker, AL Ozzie Missoum, AL John Adams, AK Henry Moran, AL Pamela Rau, AL Melinda Leichliter, AK Hugh Oshea, AL Philip Mccarrick, AL Steve Adams, AK Ivan Piola, AL Pradipkumar Patel, AL Adam Fritsch, AL Jack Patel, AL Pranav Desai, AL Aimee Robinson, AL James Gray, AL Pratik Patel, AL Alan Patel, AL James Green, AL Rahul Patel, AL Amelia Stansell, AL Jay Patel, AL Raj Dhanani, AL Amit Patel, AL Jeffrey Caple, AL Rajesh Patel, AL Andrew Howard, AL Jenifer Bond, AL Rakesh Patel, AL Angela Burgess, AL Jit Patel, AL Rakeshkumar Patel, AL Barry Bowerman, AL Jitendra Patel, AL Rashmi Thakor, AL Bhavin Patrl, AL Joe Dunnam, AL Ray Patel, AL Bhupendra Patel, AL John Ezell, AL Roy Mohon, AL Blake Robinson, AL John Stephens, AL Rupen Patel, AL Brad Smallfield, AL Johnnie Lamb, AL Sandip Patel, AL Brad Weimar, AL Julie Ferrell, AL Sanjay Patel, AL Bruce Gouin, AL Kalpesh Patel, AL Shawn Toone, AL Chad Yeilding, AL Karen Rodriguez, AL Steve Edmonds, AL Charlotte Allgood, AL Kim Whitworth, AL Steven Staiman, AL Chuck Patel, AL Kimberly Cheeseman, AL Tanveer Zia, AL Clinton Lewis, AL Kimberly Wilson, AL Tariq Siddiqui, AL David Conklin, AL Kimeran Keahey, AL Teresa Wallock, AL Dawn Sexton, AL Lauralie Norton, AL Vijay Patel, AL Dharmesh Patel, AL Louis Tuck, AL Vivek Patel, AL Dipesh Patel, AL Luis Cribb, AL William Motter, AL Dominic Gentile, AL Mandy Cox, AL Yatin Patel, AL Donna Dunn, AL Marc Novellino, AL Alan Covington, AR Donna Reneau, AL Margaret Obryant, AL Anil Chawla, AR Donna Thackerson, AL Mark Porterfield, AL Anil Shah, AR Edward Robinson, AL Michael Cornelius, AL Anne Hensley, AR Gbemi Oyekenu, AL Milin Patel, AL Barbara Fernald, AR Ghanshyam Patel, AL Mukundbhai Patel, AL Bhupendrakumar Patel, AR Gina Chancellor, AL Neal Patel, AL Brian Holder, AR Girish Patel, AL Nick Petitti, AL Cecilia Duvall, AR Glen Blythe, AL Nima Naderi, AL Charles Diana, AR Hari Patel, AL Niral Thakor, AL Cookie Desai, AR Danny Gililland, AR Sunil Panchal, AR Daria Orozco, AZ Danny Patel, AR Sunny Patel, AR Darin Osborne, AZ Davesh Sitaram, AR Tahmina Khan, AR David Candioto, AZ Divya Patel, AR Vandan Patel, AR David Hawash, AZ Dwayne Engle, AR Vasudev Bhakta, AR David Vandervort, AZ Gary Crocker, AR Adrienne Bryant, AZ David Wirth, AZ Gary Patel, AR Alexander Apodaca, AZ David Wold, AZ Govind Lukhi, AR Alexander Grant, AZ Debi Heileman, AZ Holly Nieman, AR Alissa Ramirez, AZ Debra Lynch, AZ Janet Van Swoll, AR Allison Eichenberg, AZ Debra Williams, AZ Jesse Gates, AR Amber Cepkauskas, AZ Dejan Simurdic, AZ Jigar Patel, AR Andrew Ray, AZ Dilip Patel, AZ John Lawson, AR Andy Bhakta, AZ Dione Schwartz, AZ John Scott, AR Angela Olea, AZ Dipesh Patel, AZ Kal Gandhi, AR Anita Patel, AZ Dorena Mello, AZ Keith Crooks, AR Anita Rogers, AZ Douglas Anderson, AZ Kelli Camp, AR Anne Digiando, AZ Douglas Baillie, AZ Kimberly Vail, AR Arthur Adams, AZ Douglas Shaw, AZ Krunal Patel, AR Aubrey Huber, AZ Earle Smith, AZ Lance Smythe, AR Avelina Lamb, AZ Edward Antos, AZ Loudy Bousman, AR Avery Gavigan, AZ Edward Porter, AZ Mauricio Aguilar, AR Baltej Grewal, AZ Edward Sommer, AZ Max Steiner, AR Barbara Cheroske, AZ Erica Gentile, AZ Michael Martin, AR Becky Bongiovanni, AZ Gautam Ramchandani, AZ Michelle Culpepper, AR Bena Mistry, AZ Gene Denison, AZ Michelle Wells, AR Bill Stark, AZ Gina Kaiser, AZ Mike Scott, AR Bradley Beller, AZ Grant Seeger, AZ Mitulkumar Patel, AR Brandt Bacus, AZ Gwinder Sraow, AZ Naresh Patel, AR Brian Huebner, AZ Haleigh Birmingham, AZ Narry Krushiker, AR Brijender Bharti, AZ Harshad Bhatt, AZ Nimesh Gokal, AR Bruce Williams, AZ Heather Elrod, AZ Noel Morris, AR Ca Mueller, AZ Heidi Wong, AZ Patrick Blakley, AR Carol Hoffman, AZ Hiren Patel, AZ Patsy Beaver, AR Chad Brandt, AZ Hollies Rosser, AZ Phillip Carlisle, AR Chris Bartlett, AZ Holly Cruz, AZ Prabha Pothi, AR Chris Willems, AZ Holly Pitman, AZ Priya Bhavan, AR Christina Ram, AZ James Canning, AZ Rahul Patel, AR Christine Blank, AZ James Materese, AZ Rahulbhai Bhakta, AR Christine Fay, AZ Jason Kaiser, AZ Ramesh Gopal, AR Clark Mutschler, AZ Jd Metz, AZ Ravi Patel, AR Clayton Crompton, AZ Jeff Flannery, AZ Russell Rogers, AR Crystal Thorson, AZ Jeff Kline, AZ Sandra Wells, AR Daisy Eklund, AZ Jill Lovell, AZ Scott Holden, AR Daniel Kilpatrick, AZ John Fleming, AZ John Jones, AZ Neeta Bhakta, AZ Vijay Khetarpal, AZ Jon Harmsen, AZ Noor Samji, AZ Vijay Sethi, AZ Jon Spezzacatena, AZ Pardeep Mehra, AZ Vikas Patel, AZ Julian Loveday, AZ Patrick Flynn, AZ Vivek Patel, AZ Julie Hoyler, AZ Paul Neumayr, AZ Walt Altmann, AZ Julie Robinson, AZ Peggy Baillie, AZ Wendy Pendleton, AZ Kamlesh Shihora, AZ Peter Schneider, AZ William Guzick, AZ Karla Rosser, AZ Philip Cohen, AZ William Lusk, AZ Kate Dolance, AZ Rakesh Parikh, AZ Yvette Jacobs, AZ Kausik Patel, AZ Ramesh Patel, AZ Bob Tipple, BC Keith Jacobs, AZ Randall Bressler, AZ Aaron Szawielenko, CA Ken Hand, AZ Richard Goff, AZ Abdul Haq, CA Kent Craven, AZ Ritesh Kishore, AZ Abe Salas, CA Ketan Bhatt, AZ Robert Dailey, AZ Abhaijeet Singh, CA Ketan Desai, AZ Robert Fish, AZ Abhay Jain, CA Kim Pickens, AZ Robert Pifke, AZ Ahmad Azizi, CA Kim Pinzini, AZ Roger Bonham, AZ Ahmad Moalej, CA Kimberly Akers, AZ Roger Hagadorn, AZ Ajit Soma, CA Kimberly Hudson, AZ Ronald Gregg, AZ Ajnavi Kumar, CA Kristen Allen, AZ Ronald Magnuson, AZ Akki Patel, CA Kristi Barnett, AZ Rosann Woods, AZ Alejandro Medina, CA Lisa Long, AZ Samip Patel, AZ Alexander Burnham, CA Lori Harvin, AZ Samuel Biggs, AZ Alexander Johnson, CA Lynn Graham, AZ Sancie Denison, AZ Ali Nekumanesh, CA Maia Bachmeier, AZ Sarah Fredricks, AZ Ali Yousefi, CA Malini Bhakta, AZ Scott Allen, AZ Alice Hsu, CA Manju Bhakta, AZ Scott Sheldon, AZ Alice Periquet, CA Manu Naik, AZ Shane Sender, AZ Alicia Gallegos, CA Mariela Flores, AZ Shannon Flynn, AZ Allen Mclean, CA Mark Mussmann, AZ Shatish Mistry, AZ Alvaro Franco, CA Mark Roden, AZ Shaun Phelan, AZ Alysa Bruscino, CA Mary Leishman, AZ Shawn Huettner, AZ Amal Maida, CA Mary Marsh, AZ Stacey Frank, AZ Amanda Bastian, CA Matt Cepkauskas, AZ Stephen Poe, AZ Amandeep Lehal, CA Matthew Ryan, AZ Steve Bhatia, AZ Amar Patel, CA Melody Langford, AZ Steve Cacciatore, AZ Amarjit Singh, CA Michael Bercaw, AZ Steve Phelps, AZ Amir Kohandani, CA Michael Carnel, AZ Steven Glaza, AZ Amit Jaswal, CA Michael Simpson, AZ Sueann Szewczyk-Lemon, AZ Amit Sarin, CA Michelle Luzar, AZ Tami Ramey, AZ Amit Shah, CA Mike Barrett, AZ Thomas Allen, AZ Amy Overton, CA Mike Desai, AZ Thomas Menik, AZ Amy Parnes, CA Misty Meyer, AZ Ty Brewster, AZ Anacleta Thorne, CA Nazir Alam, AZ Val Hill, AZ Anand Gala, CA Anand Patel, CA Bana Solomon, CA Casey Stone, CA Andreas Havadjias,