Shaheen Statement Ahead of Small Business Saturday

**Senator Shaheen is a Champion for NH Small Businesses & Helped Negotiate the Small Business Relief Programs Established in the CARES Act**

(Manchester, NH)— U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, issued the following statement ahead of Small Business Saturday, which takes place tomorrow – Saturday, November 28. Occurring during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year, Small Business Saturday aims to encourage Americans to buy from and support local small businesses.

“Small Business Saturday is an exciting day every year that helps highlight the incredible stores and products available in our communities and encourages Granite Staters to support our local shops. While the challenges of COVID-19 require us to do our holiday shopping differently this year, we can still show our support for our small businesses, which need our help now more than ever,” said Shaheen. “Small businesses make up 99 percent of all New Hampshire businesses and employ nearly 50 percent of our state’s workforce – we are a small business state. As Granite State owners fight to get to the other side of this crisis, we can all do our part to help out by making a point to safely shop local – whether that’s by following public health guidelines in stores or making purchases from local businesses online – to ensure a successful and cheerful holiday shopping season. I’ll be seeking out our local shops this year, but will also keep my focus on resuming bipartisan negotiations in Congress so our small business owners and all those impacted by this crisis have the assistance they urgently need.”

Senator Shaheen helped negotiate the small business relief programs that were established in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was signed into law in March, and includes the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP has been a lifeline for businesses and nonprofits in New Hampshire, with over $2.5 billion in assistance disbursed to more than 25,000 businesses across the state. Shaheen has called for the passage of the HEROES Small Business Lifeline Act, her legislation with Senators Cardin (D-MD), Schumer (D-NY) and Coons (D-DE) that would allow many small businesses to access a second round of Paycheck Protection Program loans.