Amidst the current coronavirus crisis and the subsequent unemployment and strain on entrepreneurs and small bussinesses, we must support entrepreneurs and small businesses in a sustainable way. There were 30.7 million small businesses in the US in 2019. Entrepreneur statistics reveal the growth of more than 1.5 million companies between 2015 and 2018. Small businesses also create jobs. American small businesses employed 59.9 million people in 2019, which represents almost half of the country's entire private workforce. Without the innovation of entrepreneurs, many problems will not be addressed.

While support for these industries is important, the current crisis provides a critical opportunity for Congress to create a set of Sustainability Standards that will require recipients of Federal Bailout Funds to more urgently transition to sustainable business models, small businesses and entrepreneurs that address the climate emergency. Congress has a moral obligation to lead on this issue. 

During this coronavirus crisis, I join with thousands of other entrepreneurs to ask our Senators and Representatives to continue to come together, setting partisanship aside, and to create a cleaner, brighter, and healthier future for all Americans. We ask that once it is safe to resume normal economic activity, we put people back to work in ways that support healthy lives and livelihoods by:

1. Making our transportation, energy, manufacturing, and building industries more efficient and less harmful to our health.

2. Helping entrepreneurs deploy existing innovative climate solutions and technologies by providing financial support and by investing in research and development of new innovative climate solutions.

3. Putting millions of Americans to work and supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses to make it happen.