Two Democratic senators broke with their party's leadership Thursday to call for immediate funding for a now-depleted program to provide loans to small businesses affected by the coronavirus crisis.
"Minnesota small businesses need relief now," Sen. Tina Smith (D., Minn.) wrote in a tweet Thursday afternoon. "I fought hard for this program and am now pressing for additional funds, faster delivery and implementation improvements to help more Minnesotans get assistance ASAP."
Minnesota small businesses need relief now. I fought hard for this program and am now pressing for additional funds, faster delivery and implementation improvements to help more Minnesotans get assistance ASAP. https://t.co/POKKYaL8OS
— Senator Tina Smith (@SenTinaSmith) April 16, 2020
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D., Ariz.) also tweeted that the Senate should approve additional funding by unanimous consent as soon as possible to help floundering small businesses.
Arizona businesses are counting on us to help them during this emergency. I’m calling on leadership in both parties to get thru this stalemate ASAP – we can’t wait longer. https://t.co/FkzvfixOQg
— Kyrsten Sinema (@kyrstensinema) April 16, 2020
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ran out of money Thursday, a week after Senate Democrats blocked a Republican effort to provide the program with $250 billion in additional funding. Democratic lawmakers wanted to attach hundreds of billions in funding for state and local governments and for hospitals.
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