American Rescue Plan Includes Senator Hassan’s Bipartisan Push to Support Hardest-Hit Businesses, Including Entertainment & Performing Arts Industries

In case you missed it, the American Rescue Plan includes a bipartisan measure pushed by Senator Hassan to further support businesses hardest hit by major revenue losses due to the pandemic, including those in the live entertainment and performing arts industries.

The bill expands the current Employee Retention Tax Credit by allowing businesses with at least 90 percent revenue loss to receive a federal tax credit covering wages and health expenses for all employees instead of just some employees.

The Bank of NH Pavilion applauded this provision. “As we await the opportunity to return to live shows, we want to thank Senator Hassan for her tireless work securing the latest Covid relief package which will provide critical support to live event workers, who are some of the hardest hit by the shutdown,” said RJ Harding, Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion.

“Our entertainment and performing arts industries are part of the fabric of our communities. They have suffered major financial losses amid the pandemic in order to follow public health guidance and save lives, which is why I am glad that we secured the additional assistance that they’ll need as more and more venues work to fully reopen,” said Senator Hassan.

The provision in the American Rescue Plan stems from a bipartisan call that Senator Hassan led in February along with Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND). The American Rescue Plan also includes the bipartisan Recovery Startup Assistance Act that Senator Hassan introduced to provide payroll assistance through the Employee Retention Tax Credit to new small businesses started during the pandemic.

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