Senator Hassan Invites Adam Hammill of Berlin as Virtual Guest for President Biden’s Joint Address to Congress

WASHINGTON - Adam Hammill of Berlin, owner of Exile Burrito and a Coast Guard veteran, will be Senator Maggie Hassan’s virtual guest for President Joe Biden’s joint address to Congress tonight. Hammill opened his new restaurant during the pandemic, however like many new businesses, he was not eligible to receive COVID-19 relief. Hammill raised this concern with Senator Hassan, who successfully worked across the aisle to ensure that new businesses like Adam’s will be able to access payroll assistance through the Employee Retention Tax Credit.

“Adam represents the best of the Granite State, first serving our country as a member of the Coast Guard and then showing grit and determination by opening up a new restaurant during the pandemic,” Senator Hassan said. “Earlier in the pandemic, I talked with Adam about his experiences, and he raised the issue that new businesses were ineligible for COVID-19 relief funding. Because of advocacy from Adam and other new business owners, I led bipartisan efforts to successfully expand relief to new businesses as part of the American Rescue Plan. I am honored to bring Adam as my virtual guest to President Biden’s joint address to highlight his efforts, and I will continue working to help small businesses across New Hampshire receive the support that they need to create jobs and thrive.”  

“The opportunity to be invited as Senator Hassan’s virtual guest to the State of the Union is an honor. If asked a year ago if I thought I would have met Senator Hassan and helped inspire legislation that would aid other Americans who chose to start a business during this once in a century pandemic, I wouldn’t believe it,” said Hammill. “My first meeting with Senator Hassan, I explained as a new business owner I was unable to access the emergency stimulus or PPP loans because I opened my business in 2020. My second meeting with Senator Hassan we further discussed action steps to provide relief to start-ups. Not many Americans get the opportunity to contribute to the creation of a bill, it has been a civic honor to be a part of a bill that will aid other Americans who had the courage to start a business in the wake of a global pandemic. This experience is affirmation that bipartisan representative democracy is still alive, and serving small Main Street businesses.”

The American Rescue Plan 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. So far, many new businesses have been unable to access other COVID-19 relief programs. Furthermore, the December COVID-19 relief and government funding package included bipartisan legislation introduced by Senator Hassan to allow eligible small employers to both participate in the Paycheck Protection Program and also claim the Employee Retention Tax Credit to help keep workers on payroll and pay for their health care coverage. Previously, small employers could not participate in both of these programs.

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