Friends,
It’s been another busy week in the 12th District, and I want to provide you with a brief update on issues important to Georgians.
For Business Owners:
This week I held a call with bankers in the 12th District to provide an update on coronavirus legislation. Specifically, the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act that was signed into law by President Trump last week has several new provisions important to business owners, including:
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Extending the forgiveness period of PPP loans from 8 weeks to 24 weeks.
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Replacing the 75/25 rule with a 60/40 rule, giving small businesses more choice in how they will use their loan funds.
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Helping businesses rebuild by granting new PPP loans a 5-year maturity (existing loans remain at a 2-year maturity).
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Granting payroll tax deferment to businesses that receive forgiveness.
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Ensuring that small businesses won’t be penalized by high unemployment benefits.
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Creating a safe harbor for businesses that are required to open at only 50 percent capacity.
Please contact your lender to apply for a PPP loan or for more information about the changes included in the PPP Flex Act.
For Farmers:
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled that it is illegal for farmers to continue to use dicamba herbicides, which are used primarily by cotton and soybean farmers. I joined several of my colleagues in the Georgia delegation rebuking this new rule. We state:
“The 9th Circuit Court's reckless decision to mandate that our soybean and cotton farmers halt the use of these herbicides – which they’ve already invested countless dollars in – is crippling our rural communities at a time when they can't afford to deal with more uncertainty.”
You can read our full statement here.
REMINDER: ARC, PLC Deadline Approaching:
This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminded farmers who have not yet enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for 2020 that they must do so by June 30. These programs provide financial protections to farmers from substantial drops in crop prices or revenues.
For more information on ARC and PLC including web-based decision tools, visit farmers.gov/arc-plc or contact your local Farm Service Agency office.
For Middle and High School Students:
Registration for the 2020 Congressional App Challenge is now open! This nationwide competition is for students interested in creating a software application, or “app,” for web, PC, tablet, mobile, or other platform of their choice.
I encourage any middle or high school student in the 12th District who is interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to participate and explore their creativity. For more information on the competition, including key dates and deadlines, click here.
ICYMI: I discussed recent protests around the country with the Augusta Chronicle. You can read the full article here.
As always, my office is here to help. You can email me ⇒ HERE, contact any of our offices or join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Sincerely,
Rick Allen
Member of Congress |
