Amodei Submits Amendment to The American Rescue Plan Act Requesting Funding for Special Event Operators

Press Release

Congressman Mark Amodei (NV-02) today released the following statement after submitting an amendment to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 regarding the eligibility criteria for special events under the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) implementation of the Shuttered Venue Operators (SVO) Grant Program, which was recently established under the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act:

"While our country remains in a state of economic crisis, apparently the internal functionaries at the SBA are still not answerable to anyone in the nation. Clearly, it doesn't matter who's in charge over there, because less than a year later, the SBA has once again chosen to speak for Congress when it comes to interpreting emergency relief legislation.

"Under the latest COVID relief bill, Congress created the Shuttered Venue Operators Program, which provided $15 billion in relief funding for the SBA to award grants to live venue operators or promoters, theatrical producers, live performing arts organization operators, museum operators, motion picture theatre operators, and talent representatives. When allocating this funding, it was Congress's original intent for the program to ensure all live event venues could participate in the program.

"In Nevada, we are known for our world class events and entertainment. In CD-2 alone, special events like the National Championship Air Races in Reno, the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Burning Man, and Hot August Nights generate more than $750 million each year for our economy. These events, as well as those in Southern Nevada, are crucial to our economic stability. In fact, the shuttering of special events is one of the main reasons our unemployment rate remains the second highest in the nation.

"For this bill to be absent of any relief funding for these deserving businesses and events, including any funding similar to what we rightfully included for the arts, is nothing short of placing political addiction over problem solving."

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