JUSTICE ACTION NETWORK PRAISES WHITE HOUSE, BIPARTISAN CHAMPIONS OF CRUCIAL SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION REFORM THAT BRINGS RELIEF TO EST. 1-IN-3 SMALL BIZ OWNERS

President Biden Takes Action Consistent with Bipartisan Second Chance Act Bill Carried by Senators Cardin, Portman, Booker, & Lankford to Lift Job-Crushing Restrictions on Access to PPP Loans 

JUSTICE ACTION NETWORK WORKED ACROSS THE AISLE FOR OVER EIGHT MONTHS ON CRITICAL REFORMS; DEVELOPMENT PROVES BRIGHT FUTURE FOR BIPARTISAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM 

(Washington, DC) – Bipartisan criminal justice reforms have a bright future at the federal level, proven by today’s announcement by the White House that they are eliminating exclusionary restrictions at the Small Business Administration that lift job-crushing restrictions on small businesses owned by entrepreneurs with prior non-fraud felony convictions. This order, expanding access to PPP loans, is consistent with the Paycheck Protection Program Second Chance Act, a bipartisan bill carried by Chairman Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and James Lankford (R-OK). For the past eight months, Justice Action Network, the country’s largest organization focused on bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation and advocacy, has been working with a coalition of organizations from the left, right, and center in pushing for reforms which impact an estimated one-third of small business owners – at a time when small businesses nationwide are struggling to stay afloat. 

Holly Harris, President of Justice Action Network, issued the following statement:

“Small business owners are the heartbeat of America, and we are so grateful to leaders on both sides of the aisle for ensuring people who have overcome adversity, turned their lives around, and started small businesses are not excluded from emergency relief. These small business owners have paid their debts, created jobs, and become productive and critical members of our communities. Fast-tracking this bipartisan relief measure will help support these entrepreneurs, their employees, and their families.

“We are grateful to the President and his team for accelerating this bipartisan initiative through executive order, and for the leadership of Senators Cardin, Portman, Booker, and Lankford for spearheading the pro-jobs, pro-public safety legislation that served as the foundation for executive action. This victory sends a strong signal that criminal justice reform will continue to be an area in which lawmakers put partisanship aside in the best interests of the American people. We look forward to more wins for bipartisan criminal justice reforms, including measures such as record sealing, policing reform, and support for state and local law enforcement working to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.” 

Allowing small business owners with records to access Paycheck Protection Program emergency funds is supported by a broad, bipartisan coalition, including: 

Collateral Consequences Resource Center, Prison Fellowship, Arnold Ventures, ACLU, The Sentencing Project, Americans for Prosperity, FAMM, NAACP, Faith & Freedom Coalition, Safer Foundation, FreedomWorks, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Americans for Tax Reform, #cut50, The Council of State Governments Justice Center, Right on Crime, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Digital Liberty, American Conservative Union, R Street Institute, Kentucky Smart on Crime, American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky, Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions, Catholic Conference of Kentucky, Kentucky Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs, Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Kentucky Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Kentucky Council of Churches, Kentucky Youth Advocates, and Volunteers of America Mid-states.