The General Court of the Commonwealth of State House, Boston, MA 02133-1053

May 12, 2020

Senator Edward Markey Representative James McGovern 255 Dirksen Senate Office Building 408 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515

Senator Elizabeth Warren Representative Seth Moulton 309 Hart Senate Office Building 1127 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515

Representative Katherine Clark Representative Richard Neal 2448 Rayburn House Office Building 2309 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515

Representative William Keating Representative Ayanna Pressley 2351 Rayburn House Office Building 1108 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515

Representative Joseph Kennedy III Representative Lori Trahan 304 Cannon House Office Building 1616 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515

Representative Stephen Lynch 2109 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515

Dear Honorable Delegation Members,

We the undersigned state legislators write to you to advocate for the many small businesses in our districts that have been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and have not benefited from the federal CARES Act, including the Paycheck Protection Program. We also want to emphasize that a disproportionate number of small businesses, particularly restaurants, are owned and operated by immigrants and people of color, and, as highlighted by many reports and personal testimonies, are not receiving sufficient support to remain viable.

In addition, many small business owners purchased business interruption insurance to protect themselves if a catastrophe caused an interruption in their ability to conduct their business. Year after year, these business owners paid substantial premiums for such business interruption coverage. However, now that the COVID-19 crisis has caused many small business owners to close their doors or substantially curtail their businesses, insurers are denying claims for business interruption insurance.

We are respectfully requesting that you advocate for language to be included in the next round of federal stimulus legislation that creates a fund to backstop insurance companies to pay claims for business interruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We would also like to underscore our support for the creation of a federal small business grant program that would ensure that small businesses that have been disproportionately negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic receive the financial assistance to sustain them through the pandemic, pay their workers, and be able to re-open when that time comes.

Thank you for your tireless service to Massachusetts and our country during this time of unprecedented crisis. We appreciate your consideration of this important matter.

Sincerely,

Rep. Nika C. Elugardo, 15th Suffolk Sen. James B. Eldridge, Middlesex & Worcester Rep. , 7th Middlesex Sen. Nick Collins, First Suffolk Rep. , 2nd Middlesex Sen. , First Middlesex & Norfolk Rep. Antonio F.D. Cabral, 13th Bristol Sen. , Cape & Islands Rep. , 2nd Norfolk Sen. Sal N. DiDomenico, Middlesex & Suffolk Rep. , 15th Middlesex Sen. Diana DiZoglio, First Essex Rep. Mike Connolly, 26th Middlesex Sen. Patricia D. Jehlen, Second Middlesex Rep. , 16th Essex Sen. Edward J. Kennedy, First Middlesex Rep. , 3rd Hampshire Sen. Jason M. Lewis, Fifth Middlesex Rep. Paul J. Donato, 35th Middlesex Sen. Michael O. Moore, Second Worcester Rep. , 8th Essex Sen. Patrick M. O’Connor, Plymouth & Norfolk Rep. William Galvin, 6th Norfolk Sen. , First Plymouth & Bristol Rep. , 23rd Middlesex Sen. Rebecca L. Rausch, Norfolk, Bristol & Middlesex Rep. Carmine L. Gentile, 13th Middlesex Sen. Walter F. Timilty, Norfolk, Bristol & Plymouth Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, 10th Hampden Sen. James T. Welch, Hampden Rep. Tami L. Gouveia, 14th Middlesex Rep. , 17th Suffolk Rep. Bradley H. Jones, Jr., 20th Middlesex Rep. , 15th Worcester Rep. , 11th Middlesex Rep. Kathleen LaNatra, 12th Plymouth Rep. David LeBoeuf, 17th Worcester Rep. , 2nd Berkshire Rep. , 14th Essex Rep. Frank A. Moran, 17th Essex Rep. Tram T. Nguyen, 18th Essex Rep. , 27th Middlesex Rep. Maria Duaime Robinson, 6th Middlesex Rep. , 1st Hampshire Rep. Paul A. Schmid III, 8th Bristol Rep. Andy X. Vargas, 3rd Essex Rep. , 5th Hampden Rep. , 2nd Worcester