Steve Scalise: “23 Democrats, just a few days ago sent a letter to the Speaker saying, ``Passing a bipartisan COVID-19 relief package…”

“23 Democrats, just a few days ago sent a letter to the Speaker saying, ``Passing a bipartisan COVID-19 relief package should be our number one priority in the coming days. It is our request that you continue to negotiate towards a bipartisan deal. Otherwise, a discharge petition is the only potential option for COVID- 19 related action. . . . '' That was 23 Democrats. Mr. Speaker, that is enough people, if they go down, right over there and sign that discharge petition, it will bring that bipartisan relief package bill to the floor, helping small businesses. We already helped millions of small businesses stay afloat with the original Paycheck Protection Program, an incredibly bipartisan success story that we came together to pass. Over 50 million jobs were saved by that. Mr. Speaker, we know now some of those businesses are doing better, but some of those businesses are still struggling, in fact, dying on the vine. And this bill will give them relief. They can go for a second round of relief requests, PPP funding with money that already exists, not $2.2 trillion borrowed from China. Let's pass a real bill, the Chabot bill. Let's reject this partisan exercise.”