4 THE QUEENS COURIER • JUNE 18, 2020 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
сoronavirus
Photo courtesy of Congressman Tom Suozzi’s offi ce Photo by Dean Moses
Suozzi distributes PPE to residents across northeast Queens
Queens biz owners to receive greater fl exibility under revised PPP bill
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Improvements have been made to the
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to
aid Queens’ small business owners that
were impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Congresswoman Grace Meng on June
13 announced the enactment of the
Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility
Act (H.R. 7010), which passed the House
by a vote of 417-1 on May 28. Th e
measure, which was passed by Congress
and signed into law by President Donald
Trump on June 5, increases fl exibility
and access to the Paycheck Protection
Program, an initiative created by the
Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic
Security (CARES) Act that provides loans
to struggling small businesses.
Meng said she has heard from many
constituents about the need to make the
PPP more fl exible so that initiative better
meets their needs, such as extending the
loan forgiveness period and increasing the
amount of the loan that can be spent on
non-payroll expenses.
“Th e Paycheck Protection Program
Flexibility Act achieves these goals, and
makes other enhancements that will benefi
t small businesses in Queens. Making
PPP loans fl exible is vital to entrepreneurs,
and will help them make decisions
that fi t their economic needs while retaining
their employees. I encourage all PPP
loan recipients to consult with their lenders
immediately,” said Meng, an original
co-sponsor of the bill.
Th e Paycheck Protection Program
Flexibility Act increases fl exibility and
access to PPP loans by allowing loan forgiveness
for expenses beyond the eightweek
covered period to 24 weeks, and
extending the rehiring deadline.
It increases the current limitation on
non-payroll expenses (rent, utility payments
and mortgage interest) for loan forgiveness
from 25 to 40 percent.
Furthermore, the measure extends the
program from June 30 to Dec. 31, extends
loan terms from two to fi ve years, and
ensures full access to payroll tax deferment
for businesses that can take PPP
loans.
REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Congressman Tom Suozzi made four
stops in northeast Queens on June 12 to
distribute more than 10,000 pieces of personal
protective equipment (PPE), including
masks donated by the city, to residents
and civic groups in his district.
As the region emerges from under
the shadow of the coronavirus, Suozzi
stressed the importance of following
social distancing guidelines and wearing
a mask so that New York can continue to
“crush the curve.”
“As New York City enters Phase 1 of
reopening, we must maintain social distancing
and wear masks,” Suozzi said. “I
am proud to partner with my friends in
the South Asian community and civic
associations, such as We Love Whitestone,
to deliver much-needed PPE to the residents
of Queens. Together, we will keep
the curve fl at and get through this.”
Th e congressman’s aft ernoon started
at the Veterans of Foreign Wars in
Bellerose, where he distributed more than
6,000 pieces of PPE, meeting with several
groups including veterans and representatives
from the South Asian community,
including several members of the Sikh
community.
Suozzi then stopped in Whitestone
to check in on some small businesses,
including Cascon Bakery and Tony’s
Beechhurst Deli, to see how the Paycheck
Protection Program (PPP) and Economic
Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) programs
helped them as the city has entered Phase
One of reopening.
While in Whitestone, Suozzi joined the
civic association, We Love Whitestone, in
distributing PPE at Immanuel Lutheran
Church, meeting with the pastor and
members of the congregation. Photo by
Dean Moses Suozzi’s aft ernoon concluded
at the North Shore Towers in Floral Park
where he distributed 3,000 pieces of PPE
to the residents and employees.
Suozzi has previously helped distribute
thousands of pieces of much-needed
PPE to residents in Queens at both
Commonpoint Queens Sam Field Center
and the Bay Terrace Association of Co-ops.
Th e PPE was donated by the city and
Long Island Laboring Against COVID-19
(LILAC), a student-led charitable organization,
spearheaded by Sabrina Guo, a
freshman at Syosset High School.
Photo courtesy of Suozzi’s offi ce
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