U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison First Freshman Democrat to Pass a Bill in 119th Congress

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison (MN-03) announced the passage of the bipartisan Rural Small Business Resilience Act – her first bill introduced to Congress. Just last month, on the heels of being appointed to the Small Business Committee, Rep. Kelly Morrison introduced this bipartisan bill with her Republican colleagues to improve access to disaster assistance for small business owners in rural areas. 

With the passage of this bill, Rep. Morrison has become the first freshman Democrat to pass a bill in the 119th Congress. 

“I am willing to work with anyone to deliver results for our small businesses. The facts are clear: natural disasters are increasing, and rural small businesses are hit the hardest. With this commonsense bill, we’re working to cut red tape for small business owners and ensure they have the support they need to recover when disaster strikes. Rural communities and economies will be stronger and better protected because of this bill. I am proud to work with my Republican colleagues on this bipartisan issue, and will continue to push every day to find common ground and get things done for our small business owners,” said Congresswoman Morrison.

In Minnesota and across the nation, climate change is increasing the risk of natural disasters. In the last five years, natural disasters have caused up to 20 billion dollars of damage and economic loss to Minnesota – and small businesses are among the most vulnerable to injury. Across America, more than one in ten small businesses report losses due to natural disasters in a given year, and more than 40 percent of small businesses do not reopen after a natural disaster. From wildfires to extreme flooding, it is imperative that all small businesses have the support systems they need to recover after natural disasters – no matter what size community they serve.

The Rural Small Business Resilience Act, co-sponsored by Reps. Morrison, Troy Downing (MT-02), Aaron Bean (FL-04), and Chris Pappas (NH-01), would require the Small Business Administration (SBA) to ensure that small business owners in rural areas have full access to federal assistance when natural disasters strike. Through its Disaster Loan Program, the SBA provides critical relief for businesses to repair, rebuild, and recover from the physical and economic losses of natural disasters. However, last year the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report that found rural areas face more challenges in accessing SBA disaster relief and recovering from natural disasters. To address this issue, Rep. Morrison’s Rural Small Business Resilience Act would require the SBA to tailor its outreach to address the specific needs of rural communities. This would help small business owners in rural America be better able to recover from natural disasters like floods, tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes, and more.

The Rural Small Business Resilience Act has passed the U.S. House of Representatives and now heads to the U.S. Senate.

Rep. Morrison is a member of the Small Business Committee and serves as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Supply Chains. Rep. Morrison is committed to ensuring that small businesses have the support they need to strengthen our economy and make our communities thrive. She is committed to working with both Democrats and Republicans to find common ground and get things done for small business owners.

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