Coronavirus information page

Click here for useful official resources and information about the state’s response to the Coronavirus crisis.

UPDATED! Coronavirus information page contains information about federal programs to provide assistance to individuals.

An important message for small-business owners and employees

New federal assistance programs available – applications open April 3

CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO. Sen. Doug Ericksen, R-Ferndale, outlines new federal programs to provide direct assistance to small business.

Dear friends and neighbors,

I have important news to report about a new federal program that will help struggling small businesses stay afloat during this period of national emergency.

Starting Friday, business owners can apply for Small Business Administration loans. This new loan program, the Paycheck Protection Program, was authorized by the $2.2 trillion stimulus package recently passed by Congress. When business owners use these loans to make payroll, or to pay rent or mortgage interest, they can petition the SBA to convert these loans into grants. No payback is required.

This program will continue through June 30, 2020.

Small businesses in Whatcom County and throughout Washington state can take advantage of this program to get them through this extended national shutdown. Applications will be easy. Forms are available at www.SBA.gov, but applications also can be made at local banks and credit unions.

You can find more information about this program on my Coronavirus Information Page. This page contains links to up-to-date official information about efforts to combat the pandemic, as well as other useful information about state and federal assistance programs.

My sympathies are with the many who are experiencing difficulty under our state’s stay-at-home order. These precautions are important. We all must follow the directives about safe spacing, working from home and minimizing contact with other individuals. Federal authorities tell us the first two weeks of April are critical in stemming the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Programs like the new SBA Paycheck Protection Program will help us weather the storm and stabilize our economic situation as our nation prepares to get back to work. By working together, we  can come out of this stronger than when we went in.

Thank you for visiting!

 It is an honor to serve the people of Washington state and Whatcom County as your state senator. This is where great ideas are born. In Whatcom County, we are leaders in education, leaders in health care, leaders in environmental protection and leaders in energy production. I look forward to the great things we can accomplish together. Every day, I go to work in Olympia inspired by the people of our corner of the state. I grew up in Whatcom County and I call it my home – for me, my kids, my family. Like you, I worry about my children’s schools and I worry about the sort of world they will live in. Working together we can create a better future for your kids and my kids and for generations to come.