The Champion of Small Business Investing Award is presented to Members of Congress to recognize their dedication to supporting small businesses
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig was awarded the Champion of Small Business Investing Award in recognition of her work in Congress to support small businesses. The award is presented by the Small Business Investor Alliance to Members of Congress whose work has helped grow and strengthen small businesses across the country.
"Small businesses are the heart and economic engine of Minnesota's Second District – and we should be doing everything we can to support them," said Representative Craig. "I'm thrilled to receive this award today and will continue my work to strengthen our small businesses and help them secure the resources and support they need to thrive."
"Congresswoman Craig has been a strong advocate for investment in America's small businesses," said SBIA President Brett Palmer. "Access to long-term, patient capital is essential for American small businesses to grow and succeed. Our small business champions in Congress have demonstrated a strong commitment to investing in American jobs by facilitating greater capital access for America's small businesses and entrepreneurs."
In Congress, Craig has long advocated for small businesses, which represent more than 90% of employers in Minnesota's Second District. As part of these efforts, she has worked hard to ensure small businesses are able to receive critical funding through Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. In June 2020, her Prioritized Paycheck Protection Program Act was signed into law, giving small businesses an opportunity to secure additional PPP loans. Since the beginning of the program, PPP has issued 22,442 loans to businesses across the Second District – providing over $1.67 billion in funding and saving over 176,600 jobs.
Last summer, Craig led more than 100 of her colleagues from both parties in pressing House leadership to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) program, which was designed to support the restaurants, bars and eateries hardest hit by the pandemic. Craig also led more than 200 of her colleagues in an effort to stabilize and improve the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program, which provides emergency assistance grants to venues that were unable to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most recently, after securing over $6 million in emergency funding for small businesses across the district, Craig met with small business owners to hear about the challenges and obstacles they are facing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
###
Issues: Small Business
Original source can be found here.
