Dear Senator Sinema,

Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy. We do essential work and provide essential services. We employ our neighbors. We know our customers. We support our families and communities. We give our cities and towns unique character. Here in Arizona, we account for 90% of all businesses and we employ over 1,000,000 workers – nearly 45% of the state’s private sector workforce.

This has been a hard year for all of us. But amidst the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, we did everything we could to keep employees on payroll and our neighborhoods above water.

The majority of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans created by the CARES Act should have gone to small businesses. Yet we saw millions of dollars wind up in the hands of Fortune 500 companies and companies run by the wealthy and politically connected. Meanwhile, small businesses struggled to access federal funding. Nationwide, 600,000 small businesses have permanently shuttered since March 2020, including over 1/6 in Arizona.  

In the face of these struggles, you stood up for us. You ensured that over $28 billion in the American Rescue Plan Act was directed to the Restaurant Revitalization Fund targeted at supporting independently owned restaurants. We thank you for that effort.
 
Now we need you to stand up for us again. We appreciate you cosponsoring the For the People Act (S. 1), but we need you to do whatever it takes – including reforming the filibuster – to pass this bill.

The massive influx of corporate dollars during election campaigns leads to policies that favor corporate interests over the needs of small businesses like ours. In addition, voter suppression laws are proliferating across the country, including here in Arizona. Governor Ducey signed S.B.1485 just minutes after it passed the Arizona legislature. This bill purges low-propensity voters from the Permanent Early Voter List (PEVL), making it harder for them to vote in future elections.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the fact that small businesses need healthy communities to thrive. But voter suppression bills like S.B. 1485 hurt our communities by diminishing their voice, representation, and ability to influence public policy. We cannot let these attacks on ourselves and our neighbors stand.

The For the People Act is a historic piece of legislation which includes provisions that would protect our businesses and our communities from the undue influence of corporate money in politics. It would also protect our communities from laws that create obstacles to voting.  

Senator Sinema, you are in a unique position to bring the For the People Act to the floor for a Senate vote. Do not let archaic and anti-democratic Senate rules like the filibuster continue to tilt the playing field in favor of large corporations against the interests of our communities and our businesses.  

Please do what is necessary to pass the For the People Act today.


Sincerely,


*Our coalition will be using the letter for grassroots lobbying purposes including but not limited to print, digital, and social media.