***PHOTOS AND B-ROLL OF THE EVENT HERE***
(Seattle, WA) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, toured local small businesses in Seattle to discuss her efforts to provide critical small business relief during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Senator Murray played a key role in delivering Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and the Restaurant Revitalization Fund through the Small Business Administration (SBA) to keep Washington state workers employed businesses up and running during the pandemic. Seattle, which enacted its own rescue plan, was financed in part through flexible dollars to localities provided by the American Rescue Plan Act, which Senator Murray helped craft and pass in 2021.
Senator Murray was joined by Alan Macleod, owner of MacLeod’s, Lois Ko, owner of Sweet Alchemy, Max Genereaux, owner of Hattie’s Hat, and Legh and Maggie Burns, owners of Re-SouL – all of whom received PPP loans thanks to the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan. Sweet Alchemy and Hattie’s Hat also received funds through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. She was also joined by Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, Markham McIntyre, Director of the City of Seattle Office of Economic Development, Mike Fong, SBA Pacific NW Region Administrator, Mike Stewart from the Ballard Alliance, which received funds through the American Rescue Plan, and Mike Tulee from United Indians of All Tribes and Sacred Circle.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy, so when the pandemic hit, I took swift action to help them keep their doors open and their employees on payroll,” said Senator Murray. “It was great to hear from so many small business owners right here in Seattle that the American Rescue Plan helped get through hard times. I will always be a strong voice for our small business owners in the U.S. Senate, and I absolutely plan to keep fighting for top priorities of mine to support Washington state workers and small businesses—like making child care affordable and accessible and finally passing a federal paid leave program.”
Senator Murray has been a longtime champion for Washington state’s restaurants and small businesses, and has pushed for provisions to support business owners through the pandemic. Earlier this summer, Murray pushed for the Small Business COVID Relief Act of 2022¸a bipartisan bill to provide $48 billion to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) and provide relief to small businesses in other industries that have experienced significant declines in revenue, including gyms, minor league sports, buses and ferries, among others. Last year, Murray helped secure provisions from the RESTAURANTS Act, including more than $28 billion to create a Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and other small business relief in federal aid packages, including the American Rescue Plan. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Washington state businesses have received more than $9 billion in federal relief.
Senator Murray has led the fight for key priorities that ensure small business can hire and retain workers—including quality affordable child care. A former preschool teacher, Senator Murray has led legislation and worked tirelessly to address the child care crisis, lower child care costs for working families, expand families’ child care options and support child care workers. Senator Murray is also a leader in pushing for a federal paid family and medical leave program, which would help put small businesses on an even playing field with larger companies.
###
English 
Spanish