Congressmen Kim and Burchett Pass Bill to Help Small Businesses Hire Reservists

Press Release

Today, the U.S. House overwhelmingly passed H.R. 3661, the Patriotic Employer Protection Act. The bipartisan bill, introduced Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) and Congressman Tim Burchett (TN-02), would strengthen programs intended to protect small business owners whose employees are military Reservists deployed on active duty.

"Small business owners shouldn't have to think twice before hiring a military Reservist, but the uncertainty from sudden deployments can sometimes get in the way of giving our service members the opportunities they deserve," said Congressman Kim. "I'm proud to partner with Congressman Burchett to pass this important bill and strengthen key programs to give patriotic small business owners the peace of mind they need to grow their businesses and hire Reservists."

"Reservist military members undertake the patriotic duty of bravely serving our country," said Congressman Burchett. "They are also members of America's small business workforce. Small businesses shouldn't struggle as a result of an employee answering the call of duty, nor should they be discouraged from hiring a military reservist. It takes courage to put your livelihood and career on pause to serve your country, and I am proud to work with Representative Kim on this bill that benefits both small businesses and our brave reserve servicemembers."

The Patriotic Employer Protection Act would restructure Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan (MREIDL) program and the Repayment Deferral for Active Duty Reservists program so that they better reflect the current deployment trends of Reservists. The bill would allow these programs to be used for any Reservists being ordered to active duty for a period of more than 30 consecutive days, broadening the program to more people in need.

In addition, the bill would create a new business training program to provide counseling and assistance to support members of the Reserves and their spouses, as well as direct the Small Business Administration to develop more targeted and effective outreach to Reservists and small business owners.

"These important programs are underutilized because their eligibility restrictions do not fully reflect current deployment practices," said Davy Leghorn, Assistant Director of the Veterans Employment and Education Division at the American Legion, which has endorsed the bill. "National Guard members and military reservists are an integral part of our armed forces and national defense and this nation should do everything we can to support their service."

Congressman Kim is a member of the House Committee on Small Business and the House Armed Services Committee. In addition to the Patriotic Employer Protection Act, Congressman Kim also introduced the SERVICE Act, a bipartisan bill to lower military spouse unemployment.

Congressman Tim Burchett took office in January 2019 after serving eight years as mayor of Knox County, Tennessee. Congressman Burchett currently serves on the House Budget, Foreign Affairs and Small Business committees. His goals include supporting veterans, identifying free-market healthcare solutions and facilitating energy independence.

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