[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 88 (Thursday, May 20, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S3190]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO ADAM HAMMILL

 Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Adam 
Hammill and his business, Exile Burrito of Berlin, NH. Mr. Hammill, a 
Coast Guard veteran, had the courage to open his business after years 
of planning in May 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
  After honorably serving our country, both in the Coast Guard and with 
the Bureau of Prisons, Mr. Hammill turned his passion for cooking 
authentic Mexican cuisine into a family business and contributed to the 
revitalization of Berlin's historic Main Street community by opening a 
restaurant, creating jobs, and offering a new variety of table fare 
that was previously not available within an hour of New Hampshire's 
northernmost city.
  Opening a new business is always a challenge, but that is especially 
true for people like Mr. Hammill, who decided to start their business 
during an unprecedented global pandemic. Mr. Hammill was committed to 
staying open for his employees and his community by pivoting to a 
takeout model and implementing safety measures for both his employees 
and customers. As Mr. Hammill adapted to the ever changing business 
climate due to the pandemic, he found that as a new business, he was 
unable to access the critical pandemic relief funding passed by 
Congress. Mr. Hammill recognized the gap in support and raised this 
issue with me. As a result of advocacy from Mr. Hammill and other new 
business owners in New Hampshire, I introduced the bipartisan Recovery 
Startup Assistance Act with Republican Senator Mike Braun of Indiana, 
which President Biden signed into law as part of the American Rescue 
Plan. Now, thanks to Mr. Hammill's advocacy, new business owners will 
be able to access payroll assistance through a tailored version of the 
employee retention tax credit.
  Mr. Hammill truly represents the best of the Granite State--serving 
our country, showing his grit and determination to open a successful 
business despite unprecedented challenges, and speaking up to help 
other new businesses like his own. I look forward to seeing what he 
accomplishes next.

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