Latest COVID-19 Advocacy Letters
The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is responsible for advancing the interests of more than 5 million Hispanic-owned businesses through our Congressional advocacy. The Latino/a community has been one of the hardest hit economically during the COVID-19 global pandemic.
The following letters capture the work of the USHCC, our partners, and interested stakeholders in order to create legislation and provide necessary relief to the Hispanic community during COVID-19. This Congressional advocacy covers a wide range of policy issues that arose as a result of COVID-19 and affects the economic prosperity of Hispanic business and the more than 62 million Latinos/as living in the United States.
The following letters capture the work of the USHCC, our partners, and interested stakeholders in order to create legislation and provide necessary relief to the Hispanic community during COVID-19. This Congressional advocacy covers a wide range of policy issues that arose as a result of COVID-19 and affects the economic prosperity of Hispanic business and the more than 62 million Latinos/as living in the United States.
- February 17, 2022: Letter in collaboration with the Center for Responsible Lending.
- February 7, 2022: Support the Replenishment of the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF).
- April 9, 2021: Ask that the MBDA receives the resources necessary to support the deployment of federal funding for its network of support organizations so they can continue executing technical assistance programs geared towards minority-owned businesses that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic downturn.
- March 15, 2021: Support of the PPP Extension Act of 2021 to extend the application period beyond the March 31, 2021 sunset date.
- February 12, 2021: Request to enact changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to increase meaningful access for sole proprietors, independent contractors, and self-employed individuals.
- February 10, 2021: Ask for the upcoming fiscal year 2021 reconciliation bill to include the additional necessary funding to guarantee that the benefits are fully available for eligible SBA borrowers.
- January 26, 2021: Request for an appropriation of $50 million to be allocated to the Minority Business Development Agency, specifically to the minority chambers of commerce who have previously received CARES Act funding.
- December 16, 2020: Support and endorsement of the Economic Justice Act.
- December 10, 2020: Urge congressional action and support to include a second draw from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), with modifications that ensure the PPP program works for restaurants.
- December 8, 2020: Ask that Congress extend the CARES act section 1112 payments (The Small Business Debt Relief Program) as part of the end-of-year relief package.
- November 19, 2020: Urge to immediately address the overburdensome Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) forgiveness process before the end of the year.
- October 20, 2020: Support the pending federal intervention to help major industries impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic.
- September 21, 2020: Ask for swift action to support America’s small businesses that are desperately struggling to survive the COVID-19 health pandemic and the subsequent economic fall out.
- September 18, 2020: Support and endorse S.3814 the Reviving the Economy Sustainably Towards a Recovery in Twenty-twenty (RESTART) Act.
- September 17, 2020: Express our strong support for S. 4117.
- September 10, 2020: Express our organizations’ concern for the proposed rescission of small business debt relief funding allocated under section 1112 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act
- August 5, 2020: Urge Congress to include a temporary, $50-a-month benefit for residential broadband service as a part of your economic recovery strategy in forthcoming COVID-19 stimulus package(s).
- August 3, 2020: Policy recommendations related to Title 2 Section 121 Small Business Investment Company Program (SBIC) of the continuing Small Business Recovery and Paycheck Protection Program Act.
- July 31, 2020: Support H.R. 7777, “The Paycheck Protection Program Small Business Forgiveness Act”.
- July 31, 2020: Policy recommendations on the needs of Hispanic and minority-owned small businesses as you consider the next phase of stimulus funding to keep the American economy on track during and after COVID-19.
- July 30, 2020: Express our strong support for expanding eligibility to 501(c)(6) organizations to apply for loans under the Paycheck Protection Program.
- July 28, 2020: Ensure that historically disadvantaged small businesses are served in the forthcoming economic relief bill.
- July 17, 2020: Express our policy requests as you consider the next phase of stimulus funding to keep the American economy on track during and after the COVID-19 economic crisis.
- July 9, 2020: Urge Congress to quickly pass this legislation that would forgive PPP loans of less than $150,000 upon the borrower’s completion of a simple, one-page forgiveness document.
- July 1, 2020: Support the recharge and empower local innovation and entrepreneurs fund (RELIEF) for Main Street Act of 2020. In collaboration with the Page 30 Coalition.
- July 1, 2020: Endorse the Minority Business Resiliency Act of 2020. In collaboration with the Page 30 Coalition.
- June 22, 2020: Request that the Federal Reserve utilizes its full powers to support, with a debt and equity facility, a vital sector of the economy that represents $1.4 trillion in gross receipts and 7.2 million in jobs.
- June 1, 2020: Recommendations for the forgiveness provisions related to loans made through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for the economic benefit of Minority-owned small businesses. USHCC specific letter.
- May 15, 2020: Recommendations for future COVID-19 response legislation. In collaboration with the Page 30 Coalition.
- May 15, 2020: Broad set of policy recommendations and concerns as Congress considers additional legislation as it relates to economic relief during the COVID-19 crisis. In collaboration with the Small Business Roundtable (SBR).
- May 8, 2020: U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Policy Requests to Ensure Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion of Hispanic and Minority-Owned Small Businesses in Fourth COVID-19 Economic Relief Package. USHCC specific letter.
- April 21, 2020: Urgent request for immediate additional funding for Economic Relief Resources for Hispanic and Minority-Owned Small Businesses. In collaboration with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).
- April 21, 2020: Immediate request for inclusion of Hispanic-owned businesses and 501(c)(6) Hispanic Chambers of Commerce in COVID-19 stimulus funding in next economic relief package. In collaboration with Stanford’s Latino Business Action Network (LBAN).
- April 20, 2020: Additional Small Business Funding and 501(c)(6) Inclusion in Next Round of COVID-19 Relief. In collaboration with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) and more than 108 national and regional chambers of commerce.
- April 17, 2020: Urgent request for immediate additional funding for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Relief Resources for Hispanic and Minority-Owned Small Businesses. In collaboration with the Stanford’s Latino Business Action Network (LBAN).
- April 15, 2020: Urge for the inclusion of 501(c)(6) organizations among the list of entities that qualify for assistance under the PPP. In collaboration with diverse national 501c6s, more than 15 national groups.
- April 8, 2020: United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Requests Provisions on Fourth COVID-19 Economic Relief Package to Ensure Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to Support Hispanic and Minority-Owned Small Businesses in America. USHCC specific letter.
- April 1, 2020: Urgent request for clarity around the Paycheck Protection Program. In collaboration with the Small Business Roundtable (SBR).
- March 18, 2020: Urgent request for following financial stimulus package. In collaboration with the Small Business Roundtable (SBR).
- March 11, 2020: Request of Potential Aid for Industries Impacted by Coronavirus. In collaboration with the National Business Inclusion Consortium (NBIC).
