Since the passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the ABPA has informed you about the Small Business Association (SBA) program called the Payroll Protection Program (PPP). This program provides low-interest loans equal to 250% of monthly payroll costs to cover critical operational expenses such as payroll, utility payments, and rent obligations. Furthermore, up to 8 weeks of that loan may be forgiven by the federal government.
As we informed our members last week, although Congress had appropriated $349 billion dollars for this program, those funds were exhausted in a matter of two weeks. While we are hopeful that Congress will provide additional funding this week, it is critical that you contact your representatives and let them know how important continuing this program is for your company and our industry.
Please contact your Federal elected officials today and ask them to provide additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program. The ABPA provides helpful links to find the contact information for your U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators on our Advocacy page.
Below is a sample letter body of what can be written. This is intended to be a guide and we encourage you to personalize your message to suit your needs.
Additional Funding for the Paycheck Protection Program is Needed Today
I am writing today to ask you to provide additional appropriations for the Paycheck Protection Program. My business is a part of the auto repair industry, which include part retail stores and distributors, independent auto repair shops, and aftermarket auto part manufacturers. We are an essential business and we are keeping American vehicles on the road.
We appreciate the establishment of the Paycheck Protection Program and urge you to provide additional funding for this program to ensure that more businesses are given access to these much-needed loans. A significant number of the businesses in our supply chain employ fewer than 100 people and have had to lay off their employees in fear that otherwise they will not be able to keep their businesses afloat. The Paycheck Protection Program will help them keep their doors open.
The Department of Homeland Security has classified our supply chain as “essential businesses” so we can ensure that public health officials, postal workers, trucking operations, and citizens have access to vehicle repair service and parts. While we appreciate that designation, we also caution that even while our doors remain open, our business has dropped significantly due to less vehicles on the road. Continued funding for the Paycheck Protection Program is needed.
Thank you for your consideration.
