Washington, D.C. – I continue to pray for the health and safety of each and every American. We are going through an uncertain time in our nation’s history, but America will soon come roaring back to life. We’ve come through hard times before, and we can do it again!
Whether you are a small business owner, farmer, songwriter, or gig worker, federal, state, and local authorities have resources available to help bridge the gap caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Tennessee Employers and Small Businesses
Are you a small business owner worried about making payroll? You can now apply for the Paycheck Protection Program, which will fund up to 8 weeks of payroll costs. If all employees are kept on the payroll, the loan will be fully forgiven. For more information, click here. You can find the application here.
- The Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering low-interest federal disaster loans, express bridge loans, and debt relief.
- The IRS is extending payroll tax credits to eligible small and midsize businesses.
- Employers, there are new federal paid leave requirements related to COVID-19. You can learn more here.
- You can find additional SBA resources here.
Marsha’s Roundup
From high school teachers, to businesses, we’ve seen stories all across the state of folks stepping up to help. Thank you!
Last week, Congress passed the CARES Act to help Americans combat Coronavirus (COVID-19), and we made sure it took care of Tennessee’s veterans by including additional funding for the VA. You can find more information on the VA’s plan to combat Coronavirus (COVID-19) here.
The CARES Act provides farmers and local food suppliers $9.5 billion to keep grocery shelves stocked. It also allocates $100 million to expand rural broadband, and supports distance learning and telemedicine programs. Learn more here.
Coronavirus Resources
- COVID-19 testing sites can be found here.
- General information about the coronavirus can be found here.
- Information regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Tennessee can be found here.
- You can call the Tennessee Coronavirus Public Information Line from 10:00am to 10:00pm CT 877.857.2945
- Information for cleaning and disinfecting your home when someone is sick can be found here.
Tornado Recovery Updates, Resources
- The deadline to apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster assistance is May 4th, 2020. To register click here or call 800.621.3362.
- If you are located in a disaster declared area (Davidson County, Putnam County, and Wilson County), you may be eligible for financial assistance from the Small Business Administration (SBA). To apply, click here.
- Benton County, Carroll County, and Smith County are now eligible for public assistance funding for debris clean up and public works projects.
Stay In Touch
As a reminder, you can reach any of my six offices in Tennessee to share a concern or request assistance with a federal agency.
Be sure to follow my work on behalf of Tennesseans on social media:
Facebook: facebook.com/marshablackburn
Twitter: @MarshaBlackburn
Instagram: @MarshaBlackburn
My Best,
Marsha
