The Coronavirus Rescue Package's Small Business Paycheck Protection Funds Have Run Out. Democrats Are Blocking Additional Help.
Guy Benson
Posted: Apr 16, 2020 1:05 PM
Let's start with the timeline: Approximately three weeks ago, Senate Democrats repeatedly filibustered a bipartisan $2 trillion Coronavirus relief package -- delaying its passage by days before winning minor, face-saving concessions and supporting the legislation unanimously. Part of the hold-up was House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's destructive power trip, and Democrats' insistence on packing the bill with unrelated and tangential goodies. A member of Democratic leadership even said the quiet part out loud, framing the pandemic rescue effort as "a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision."
One week ago, it started to become clear that one key component of the package -- the small business 'paycheck protection' forgivable loans -- were extremely popular would need more funding to keep up with demand. Because the previous legislative process (described above) had been so needlessly contentious, causing so much precious time to be wasted, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wisely opted to propose a clean, standalone "top up" of that existing pot of money. The program itself was devised by Senators from both parties, the need was undeniable and a point of consensus, and the structure had already been negotiated and agreed to.
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/guybenson/2020/04/16/mcconnell-mccarthy-democrats-have-no-excuses-on-obstructing-additional-paycheck-protection-funding-n2567047