Brett Guthrie: “I thank the gentleman, my friend, for yielding. Madam Speaker, the PPP program came out with astonishing speed. The…”

“I thank the gentleman, my friend, for yielding. Madam Speaker, the PPP program came out with astonishing speed. The President and the Secretary implemented the legislation we passed, bipartisan, in astonishing speed, but there were criteria to get the money because we were spending $350 billion. I did have smaller banks and smaller businesses who did not have experience working with the SBA, with the Federal Government, who needed to come up to speed. I think all of us, hopefully, were home, and I certainly was, talking to our small businesses, our small banks, getting them online and getting them ready. I had small businesses saying, I don't have my 2019 taxes prepared yet, and I have to have that to show my income for 2019. But it all came together right before we ran out of money, at least in my district. Everybody was in the portal or the small businesses were ready. And that is what we wanted, was $250 billion to go forward, keep the program running, and they would be flush today. Doing the things we are doing now today, they are important too, they are bipartisan, we agree, but we didn't have to have this interlude. So help is on the way. Our small businesses are now ready. It did take some time for some smaller banks and smaller businesses, but I am proud to say they are ready, and I am proud to vote for this bill today.”