PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Pennsylvania congresswoman representing Montgomery and Berks counties is working to get direct cash payments to small businesses included in the next COVID-19 relief package.
Pennsylvania Congresswoman Madeleine Dean and Rep. Derek Kilmer of Washington have introduced the Restore America's Main Street Act.
"The big businesses are getting the help that they need and with greater ease and speed than many of our small businesses," said Dean.
The congresswoman said she realized that just as with individuals and families, small businesses also need relief, and the government has to offer more help.
"What we are finding are in the middle are the very small businesses who are not going to get the appropriate aid," she said, "because just maintaining payroll will not work for the length of time this is going to take."
In the proposal, businesses would get 30% of the gross receipts from the previous year up to $120,000.
"And what it does is, it puts direct cash into small businesses' hands," Dean said.
Businesses with $1.5 million or less in gross receipts and 50 or fewer employees would be eligible for the rebate.
