U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison Introduces Her First Bill in Congress
January 28, 2025
On the heels of appointment to the Small Business Committee, Rep. Morrison joins Republican colleagues in bipartisan effort to support rural small business owners
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Congresswoman Kelly Morrison (MN-03) is introducing her first bill in Congress – the Rural Small Business Resilience Act. This bipartisan legislation, introduced by Rep. Morrison, Rep. Troy Downing (MT-02), Rep. Aaron Bean (FL-04), and Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01), would improve access to disaster assistance for small business owners in rural areas.
“Small businesses are the engine of our economy and the cornerstone of our communities. When natural disasters strike, we must ensure that all small businesses have the support systems they need to recover – no matter where they are located. I am proud to work across the aisle in this bipartisan effort to support our nation’s incredible small business owners and help strengthen their resiliency,” said Congresswoman Kelly Morrison.
“As the Congressman from a hurricane prone state, getting small businesses back on their feet after a disaster is a top priority. This bill strengthens the resiliency of small businesses by connecting them to critical resources when the unexpected happens. I’m proud to work with Congresswoman Morrison to eliminate bureaucratic red-tape for the sake of our local economy, workforce, and community’s social fabric,” said Congressman Bean.
The Rural Small Business Resilience Act 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.
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.
Rep. Morrison was sworn into Congress earlier this month and appointed to the U.S. House Committee on Small Business on January 14. Just last week, Rep. Morrison was selected to serve 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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Issues:
Economy
Small Business