Minnesota Kristin Robbins State Representative House of Representatives District 34A November 25, 2020 Amy Klobuchar Tina Smith Colin Peterson Senator Senator Re presentative United States Senate United State Senate U.S. House of Representative 425 Dirksen Senate Office Building 720 Hart Senate Office Building 2204 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510 Washing ton, DC 20515 Tom Emmer Betty McCollum Pete Stauber Representative Representative Representative U.S House of Representatives U.S House of Representatives U.S House of Representatives 315 Cannon House Office Building 2256 Rayburn House Office Building 126 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515 Dean Phillips Jim Hagedorn Angie Craig Representative Representative Representative U.S House of Representatives U.S House of Representatives U.S House of Representatives 1305 Longworth House Office Building 325 Cannon House Office Building 1523 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 W ashington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515 Ilhan Omar Representative U.S. House of Representatives 1517 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Majority Leader McConnell and Minority Leader Schumer: We are writing to urge you to pass a relief package for restaurants, bars and other small businesses impacted by shut-down orders as soon as the Thanksgiving recess is over. Minnesota’s Governor Walz recently ordered another four-week shutdown of bars, restaurants, gyms, theaters, and other public entertainment venues. After being closed for a full quarter last spring, operating at 50% capacity since then, and now shuttered again for four weeks during the busy holiday season, these small businesses are fighting for their survival. Many are facing end-of-year property taxes, insurance premiums, rent payments and other major expenses and will not be able to survive if we do not get financial relief to them immediately. As you are aware, there is more than $137 billion in unspent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds available until December 31, 2020, that could get released immediately. Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-03) has a discharge petition to bring to the House floor a bill authored by Rep. Steve Chabot 225 State Office Building 100 Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55155 (651) 296-7806 (OH-01), to distribute the remaining nearly $135 billion in current PPP funds remaining after the program’s end on August 8th. In addition, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (OR-03) has proposed the Restaurant Assistance Needed to Survive (RESTAURANTS) Act of 2020, which would provide $120 billion in restaurant stabilization grants through the end of the year. Several other proposals to provide additional federal relief, including extension of the CARES Act, the Heroes Act, or other economic relief packages are under consideration. While there are important provisions in all these proposals, the most important point is to get help to small businesses NOW. We urge you to set aside partisanship and work together to ensure that small businesses in Minnesota and throughout the country survive until the end of the year. Through no fault of their own, they have been forced to closed and we need federal assistance to help them get through this difficult period. Thank you for taking immediate action to help small businesses and their employees through the pandemic. Sincerely, Kristin Robbins Dale Lueck John Poston Representative 34A Representative 10B Representative 09A Mary Franson Kristin Bahner Jeanne Poppe Representative 08B Representative 34B Representative 27B Dave Baker Peggy Scott Tony Jurgens Representative 17B Representative 35B Representative 54B Peggy Bennett Lisa Demuth Barb Haley Representative 27A Representative 13A Representative 21A 225 State Office Building 100 Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55155 (651) 296-7806 .