Congressman Kim Highlights Burlington County Small Business
in Call for PPP Improvements

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, in a hearing of the House Small Business Committee’s Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access, Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) highlighted the story of Jim Parker, a Bordentown small business owner, in his call for improvements to the Paycheck Protection Program. Congressman Kim, who chairs the subcommittee, invited Mr. Parker to testify and tell his story of issues with the federal program approved to help small businesses weather the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis.

“Since we’ve passed the CARES Act, I’ve talked with so many small business owners who are trying to do the right thing to save jobs while keeping their doors open. The Paycheck Protection Program was meant to help, but the haphazard way we’ve seen it rolled out has only led to confusion and uncertainty,” said Congressman Kim. “I’m glad that we had a chance to hear from small business owners, including Mr. Parker from our own community, about the issues they’ve had. We need to work in a bipartisan way to get these issues fixed, so Mr. Parker and every small business owner can focus on getting through this crisis and getting their employees back to work.” Congressman Kim’s full remarks and questions can be found here.

“Many (small businesses) are going into this process themselves without the help of an expert staff member,” said Jim Parker, CEO and Director of Riverview Studios in Bordentown, NJ. “I know if it were left for me to sort this process out, I’d be in far worse shape. And without the strong relationship with my bank, I’d be much more concerned about the handling of my application. Which is why it’s important that we not repeat the mistakes of the loan disbursement process in the loan forgiveness process.” Mr. Parker’s full remarks can be found here.

Earlier this week, Congressman Kim released ‘The Way Forward: Preparing America for a Second Wave’, a set of recommendations for public health leaders and public officials to prepare for a potential second wave of COVID-19. The full report can be found on Congressman Kim’s website by clicking here. Additional information about Congressman Kim’s actions to contain the Coronavirus pandemic and address the ongoing economic impact can be found on his website by clicking here.

Congressman Kim is a member of the bipartisan House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis, where he serves as one of twelve members of the House tasked with conducting oversight over programs aimed at ending the Coronavirus pandemic and helping address the economic impact it’s having on the American people. Congressman Kim is also a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Committee on Small Business. More information about Congressman Kim can be found on his website by clicking here.

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