A multi-partite bill, introduced into Congress by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and fellow Democratic Senators Ben Cardin, Jeanne Shaheen, and Chris Coons, if passed, will fund economic relief for the arts. The bill has gone through many rounds of discussion and drafting and has emerged as the Heroes Small Business Lifeline Act. If successful, it will bring to the Senate floor, $370 billion in relief that’s included in the House of Representative’s Heroes Act.
Included in the Heroes Act package, is Section 619, known as the Save Our Stages Act, which increases the $10 billion in allocations approved by the House to $15 billion, to be distributed as grants of up to $12 million to theatre operators, producers and others relevant to live performance on stage. The funds would go toward such expenses as rent, utilities, and employee payroll and PPE. Initial funding would go to organizations who have had a 90 percent or greater revenue loss. Phase two of the Act would allow for funding for those whose businesses are down at least 70 percent, with remaining eligible groups to follow.
The Small Business Lifeline Act also includes direct appropriations to initiatives such as the Minority Business Development Agency, loan forgiveness simplifications, the Restaurants Act, and an extended Paycheck Protection Program (including expanded eligibility) through March 31, 2021.
The Democrat-controlled House of Representatives introduced the updated Heroes Act in late September, and voted to pass it on October 1. The Republican-led Senate, however, is countering with a bill that provides only $500 billion in aid in contrast to the $2.2 trillion allocated in the updated Heroes Act or the $1.8 trillion counter from the White House. The reality is that even if the Senate moves forward with a vote on the Small Business Lifeline Act (or the Heroes Act at large), it would need bipartisan support to pass, which at this time seems unlikely.
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