,,ii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ceah ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #ah1 #bjbj,mr4 ,cardin 7for himself and ,ms4 ,cantwell7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,small ,business and ,entrepreneurship ,a ,,bill ,to provide grants to small business concerns1 private nonprofit organizations1 and small agricultural cooperatives affected by ,,covid-#ai1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,,covid-#ai ,recovery ,grants for ,small ,businesses ,act4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act-- 7#a7 the terms ,administration and ,administrator mean the ,small ,business ,administration and the ,administrator thereof2 7#b7 the term eligible small business concern means a small business concern that-- 7,a7 meets the applicable size standard established under section #c of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcb72 7,b7 has not less than #b employees and not more than #ej employees2 7,c7 due to the effects of ,,covid-#ai1 suffered-- 7i7 a loss of revenue in #a month greater than #ej percent as compared to the same month in the previous year2 or 7ii7 in the case of a business concern that has been in operation for not less than #d months1 a loss of revenue in #a month greater than #ej percent as compared to the average of the #c previous months2 7,d7 can demonstrate an inability to pay obligations or stay up-to-date on accounts or payroll2 and 7,e7 submitted an application for a loan under section #g7;b77#b7 of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcf7;b77#b77 and was denied assistance under such section because the small business concern is unable to repay the loan2 and 7#c7 the term small business concern has the meaning given the term in section #c of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcb74 #c4 ,economic injury grants 7a7 ,grants ,the ,administration shall provide assistance to eligible small business concerns1 private nonprofit organizations1 and small agricultural cooperatives that have suffered a substantial economic injury1 directly or indirectly1 as a result of ,,covid-#ai4 7b7 ,awarding of grants and updates ,the ,administration shall-- 7#a7 award grants under this section as expeditiously as possible2 and 7#b7 on a monthly basis until the date on which the authority under this section terminates1 update the ,committee on ,small ,business and ,entrepreneurship and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,small ,business and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives on-- 7,a7 the number of grants awarded under this section2 and 7,b7 the geographic distribution of the grants by ,state and county4 7c7 ,amount of grant 7#a7 ,in general ,except as provided in paragraph 7#b71 a grant provided under this section shall be in an amount that is not more than #ej1jjj4 7#b7 ,increased grant amount ,the ,administrator may make a grant under this section of not more than #ajj1jjj if the ,administrator demonstrates that doing so is necessary to assist eligible small business concerns1 private nonprofit organizations1 and small agricultural cooperatives that the ,administrator determines are vital to their local economies4 7#c7 ,single award ,no eligible small business concern1 private nonprofit organization1 or small agricultural cooperative may receive or directly benefit from more than #a award made under this section4 7d7 ,use of funds ,an eligible small business concern1 private nonprofit organization1 or small agricultural cooperative that receives a grant under this section may use the grant funds to address the effects of ,,covid-#ai through any of the permissible uses of funds under section #g7;b77#b7 of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcf7;b77#b774 7e7 ,application 7#a7 ,in general ,an eligible small business concern1 private nonprofit organization1 or small agricultural cooperative desiring a grant under this section shall submit to the ,administration an application at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,administration may require4 7#b7 ,priority ,the ,administrator shall-- 7,a7 establish selection criteria to ensure that eligible small business concerns1 private nonprofit organizations1 and small agricultural cooperatives that are hardest hit by the effects of ,,covid-#ai receive priority in the event that funding is not sufficient to provide grants to all that submit applications under paragraph 7#a72 7,b7 identify industry sectors for prioritization that have suffered uniquely and disproportionately from ,,covid-#ai2 and 7,c7 give priority to an applicant proposing to use grant funds for-- 7i7 providing paid sick leave to employees unable to work due to the direct effects of ,,covid-#ai2 7ii7 maintaining payroll to retain employees during business disruptions or substantial slowdowns2 7iii7 making rent and mortgage payments2 or 7iv7 repaying obligations that cannot be met due to revenue losses4 7f7 ,procedures ,the ,administrator shall establish procedures to discourage and prevent waste1 fraud1 and abuse by applicants and recipients of grants under this section4 7g7 ,penalties for fraud and misapplication of funds ,any applicant or recipient of a grant provided under this section shall be subject to all applicable provisions of ,federal law1 including section #ajja of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 and the provisions of section #abc4i of title #ac1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations1 or any successor regulation1 relating to the misapplication of loan proceeds shall apply to grants provided under this section to the same extent as if those grants were loans provided under section #g7;b77#b7 of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcf7;b77#b774 7h7 ,inspector ,general audit ,not later than #ahj days after the date on which the ,administrator begins to provide assistance under this section1 the ,inspector ,general of the ,administration shall-- 7#a7 conduct an audit of grants made under this section1 which shall identify any discrepancies or irregularities in the grants2 and 7#b7 submit to the ,committee on ,small ,business and ,entrepreneurship and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,small ,business and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives a copy of the audit conducted under paragraph 7#a74 7i7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section4 7j7 ,termination ,the authority to carry out grants under this section shall terminate on ,september #cj1 #bjba4