VP Harris Addresses the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce: ‘Help Is Here’

HARRIS I m honored ░░░░░░░░ join your legislative summit ░░░░░░░░ thank you to Ramiro ░░░░░░░░ and the United States ░░░░░░░░ Chamber of Commerce for ░░░░░░░░ you do in your ░░░░░░░░ of leadership I often ░░░░░░░░ that business leaders are ░░░░░░░░ our most passionate civic ░░░░░░░░ community leaders and role ░░░░░░░░ It is you who ░░░░░░░░ a local softball teams ░░░░░░░░ create jobs in your ░░░░░░░░ Whether your businesses are ░░░░░░░░ large or in between ░░░░░░░░ your industry is construction ░░░░░░░░ services or childcare Latino ░░░░░░░░ businesses are the fabric ░░░░░░░░ communities across our country ░░░░░░░░ you This past year ░░░░░░░░ s been difficult both ░░░░░░░░ your bottom line and ░░░░░░░░ your peace of mind ░░░░░░░░ in four small businesses ░░░░░░░░ closed thousands owned by ░░░░░░░░ These numbers reinforce what ░░░░░░░░ already know The situation ░░░░░░░░ urgent When the President ░░░░░░░░ I were preparing to ░░░░░░░░ office he promised that ░░░░░░░░ is on its way ░░░░░░░░ now help is here ░░░░░░░░ American Rescue Plan provides ░░░░░░░░ 60 billion for our ░░░░░░░░ s small businesses We ░░░░░░░░ investing 28 billion in ░░░░░░░░ for restaurants and bars ░░░░░░░░ make up about one ░░░░░░░░ seven Latino owned businesses ░░░░░░░░ re putting 15 billion ░░░░░░░░ a flexible grant program ░░░░░░░░ small businesses that were ░░░░░░░░ hit by the pandemic ░░░░░░░░ we re giving Paycheck ░░░░░░░░ Program more than 7 ░░░░░░░░ so that mom and ░░░░░░░░ shops can get help ░░░░░░░░ the system The American ░░░░░░░░ Plan lays the groundwork ░░░░░░░░ the work ahead including ░░░░░░░░ work to strengthen community ░░░░░░░░ financial institutions and minority ░░░░░░░░ institutions One of the ░░░░░░░░ things I did in ░░░░░░░░ Senate was work to ░░░░░░░░ an additional 12 billion ░░░░░░░░ CDFIs and MDIs And ░░░░░░░░ I am working with ░░░░░░░░ Janet Yellen to build ░░░░░░░░ that progress And you ░░░░░░░░ this is about more ░░░░░░░░ getting us through this ░░░░░░░░ It s about making ░░░░░░░░ that the businesses you ░░░░░░░░ have equal access to ░░░░░░░░ I recently met with ░░░░░░░░ Cantarovici the owner of ░░░░░░░░ Empanada a small business ░░░░░░░░ Denver Colorado She started ░░░░░░░░ small making empanadas for ░░░░░░░░ friends and family from ░░░░░░░░ kitchen at home Demand ░░░░░░░░ and soon she saved ░░░░░░░░ to buy her first ░░░░░░░░ oven Later when she ░░░░░░░░ ready to expand she ░░░░░░░░ getting a loan from ░░░░░░░░ bank Well the banks ░░░░░░░░ her she wasn t ░░░░░░░░ their words bankable But ░░░░░░░░ didn t stop her ░░░░░░░░ she has expanded to ░░░░░░░░ locations Small business owners ░░░░░░░░ minority business owners deserve ░░░░░░░░ to capital They deserve ░░░░░░░░ fair shot President Joe ░░░░░░░░ and I are working ░░░░░░░░ ensure Lorena and your ░░░░░░░░ have the resources they ░░░░░░░░ to build their businesses ░░░░░░░░ I look forward to ░░░░░░░░ with all of you ░░░░░░░░ get that job done ░░░░░░░░ you.”