{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-named-a-2024-hero-of-main-street-for-support-of-maines-small-businesses", "King Named a 2024 \u2018Hero of Main Street\u2019 for Support of Maine\u2019s Small Businesses", "2024-07-30", "2024", "2024-07", "Independent", "Senate", "ME", "Angus S. King, Jr.", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", "angusking", "https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/table", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) has been recognized as a 2024 \u201cHero of Main Street\u201d by the National Retail Federation (NRF) for his support of small businesses across Maine.\n\nThe \u201cHero of Main Street\u201d award was created by NRF in 2013 to recognize a bipartisan group of lawmakers for their support of the retail industry\u2019s public policy priorities. In Maine, the retail industry supports more than 245,000 local jobs and contributes more than $21 billion in economic activity.\n\n\u201cSmall businesses are the backbone of Maine\u2019s economy \u2014 when Main Street succeeds, Maine succeeds,\u201d said Senator King. \u201cWhen we patronize small businesses and retail entrepreneurs, we are making a concerted effort to energize and strengthen our local and state economies. I truly appreciate this \u2018Hero of Main Street\u2019 award and will use this opportunity to continue highlighting the incredible businesses across Maine.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe retail industry directly impacts every congressional district in the United States, providing goods, services and American jobs,\u201d said David French, NRF Executive Vice President of Government Relations. \u201cNRF is honored to recognize Senator King as a \u2018Hero of Main Street\u2019 for his continued support of the retail industry through legislative action and leadership.\u201d\n\nNRF Hero of Main Street award eligibility is based on key votes, bill sponsorship and advocacy to advance the industry\u2019s priorities.\n\nSenator King has been a champion for Maine\u2019s small businesses and entrepreneurs. In 2020, his bipartisan bill to reform the Paycheck Protection Program to make it usable passed the Senate and was signed into law. He also introduced the bipartisan Providing Resources for Emergency Preparedness and Resilient Enterprises (PREPARE) Act to help small businesses better prepare for natural disasters. Previously, he joined a bipartisan agreement that would improve the U.S. financial regulatory framework, promote economic growth, provide new protections to consumers, and strengthen small financial institutions in Maine. He also led the Reinforcing American-Made Products Act, which would reduce the burden on Maine manufacturers by establishing a national \u201cMade in America\u201d standard. Most recently, he joined his colleagues in urging federal banking regulators to better protect small businesses. This spring, he was also recognized as a 2024 \u201cFiscal Hero\u201d by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-named-a-2024-hero-of-main-street-for-support-of-maines-small-businesses"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9020150173455477, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}