The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has run out of money. Democrats like Minnesota Representative Dean Phillips say they’re unwilling to replenish it.
The PPP was instituted late March as a means to help business owners pay their workers after being ordered to close by their state governments. After just 13 days, the PPP’s $349 billion ran out, but orders to stay at home and shut down the economy continue. Now, Democrats refuse to replenish the fund unless Republicans agree to pay for other long sought after progressive initiatives, reports the Federalist.
“The PPP is proving to be poorly conceived, even more poorly executed, and possible corrupted,” Phillips said via Twitter on Friday, as part of his justification for blocking the additional $250 billion that Republicans have asked for to relieve struggling workers.
Just going to come out and say it. Despite good intentions, the PPP is proving to be poorly conceived, even more poorly executed, and possible corrupted. I feel your pain fellow small biz owners, and I’m going to bust my tail in an effort to fix it. https://t.co/52YdTa6MYR
— Rep. Dean Phillips (@RepDeanPhillips) April 18, 2020
Meanwhile, Republicans in DC have urged Democrats like Phillips, House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to act in a bipartisan manner to help keep small businesses and their employees afloat.
“This is not the moment in time to play politics,” Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy says. “This money doesn’t go to anyone, except to keep people employed… All they [Democrats] have to do is say yes today, and let’s move this forward.”
The PPP originally emerged as part of a massive $2.5 trillion Democrat-authored coronavirus spending bill. This bill also funded an arts center that later laid off its employees anyway and countless left-wing initiatives related to climate change, diversity requirements and more.
Speaker Pelosi’s #coronavirus bill includes:
-Provisions for a federal takeover of elections
-A climate change study on aviation
-Intrusive corporate diversity reporting burdensSeriously? Now is the time to help struggling Americans, not play swamp politics with virus aid. pic.twitter.com/k2QDIcc8hP
— Oversight Committee Republicans (@GOPoversight) March 23, 2020
Republicans agreed only to approve the package that cost more than the Iraq war after Democrats twice refused to sign the Republican plan, depriving Americans of much needed economic relief amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kyle Hooten
Kyle Hooten is Managing Editor of Alpha News. His coverage of Minneapolis has been featured on television shows like Tucker Carlson Tonight and in print media outlets like the Wall Street Journal.
