WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner issued the following statement after the Senate failed to advance the Small Business COVID Relief Act – legislation that would have provided additional COVID-19 relief for small businesses still dealing with the ramifications of the pandemic:

“Today, Congress failed to fulfill its promise to small business owners still reeling from the pandemic. When we established the Restaurant Revitalization Fund through the American Rescue Plan, business owners took us up on it for good reason. Many businesses were struggling to stay afloat and many of them knew that if they went out of business, they wouldn’t be able to bounce back. Unfortunately, demand surpassed available dollars. This bill would have helped Congress keep its promise and deliver aid to Virginia businesses who did everything right and applied on time. I’m disappointed that so many of my colleagues chose not to stand on the side of small businesses today, but I’m committed to continue working to get this done.”

Since the onset of the pandemic, Sen. Warner has pushed to provide small businesses and nonprofit organizations the support and relief they need. This includes fighting for the successful passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the 2020 emergency relief bill, and the American Rescue Plan (ARP).

###