Andy Barr: “For America's struggling small businesses, there is just no substitute for safely reopening the economy; but until that…”

“For America's struggling small businesses, there is just no substitute for safely reopening the economy; but until that happens, the Paycheck Protection Program is a lifeline. The first wave of funding delivered $350 billion in forgivable loans to 1.6 million firms nationwide, including over $4 billion to save jobs in my home State of Kentucky. For the Wells family at Green Tree Forest Products, the funds meant that they could keep their sawmill open and retain 93 employees in eastern Kentucky. For Upper Right Marketing, a Lexington tourism company impacted by the postponement of the Kentucky Derby and the closure of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, funding arrived the day before the company was set to lay off 30 employees. So it is unfortunate that some in this House dithered the last 7 days, making partisan demands after the program ran out of money and an additional 4\1/2\ million Americans filed for unemployment. But today's replenishment of funding restores hope for workers, families, and business owners, including Dennis from Lexington, who has operated a car repair shop for 17 years, has 10 employees, but has yet to receive a loan. Congress must ensure that, by flattening the curve, we don't flatten small business with it. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''”