On the recordJune 30, 2020
Mr. President, reserving the right to object. I want to thank my colleague for bringing up this important bill today. This crisis is unprecedented, and leaders across the Nation have taken steps to address the virus and the devastation it has caused both to the health of Americans and to our economy. The Paycheck Protection Program has helped so many businesses in Florida and across the Nation to stay afloat during this unimaginable time. As we continue to reopen our economy and get Americans back to work, we have to continue looking for ways to help our small businesses that are hurting, and extending the Paycheck Protection Program is one way to do that. My focus has always been on how we get this money to those who truly need it. We have heard all the stories--stories of big businesses with thousands of employees that found loopholes to qualify for these loans, universities with massive endowments accepting these loans, and even small businesses taking these loans when they haven't seen a downturn in their revenue. Under my colleague's proposal, companies that are not being harmed at all by the coronavirus crisis will have the ability to receive taxpayer-funded loans that can be forgiven. This program needs to be reformed so money isn't being taken out of the hands of those who really need it.…





