Democrats Block $250B Relief Fund for Small Businesses
Dems stop Republicans swiftly approving additional stimulus funding
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Democrats have blocked a measure pushed by the White House and Republicans to swiftly approve an additional $250 billion in stimulus relief money to help small businesses amid the coronavirus crisis.
The proposal, led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), urgently requested extra cash to shore up a depleting small business fund.
The bipartisan motion failed to pass the Senate Thursday after Democrats objected to the measure.
With lawmakers at home amid social distancing, Sen. McConnell sought to pass the cash infusion swiftly Thursday with a skeleton group of senators by unanimous consent.
However, Democrats blocked the effort because they want add-ons to help businesses in disadvantaged communities.
Dems also demanded an additional $250 billion in funds for other "priorities."
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The extra funding is being sought amid concerns that the original $350 billion program to help businesses stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic could run dry in the near future in the face of an enormous demand, according to Fox News.
The stalemate in the Senate comes as a record-breaking number of Americans have filed for unemployment with the economy shutting down nationwide under stay-at-home orders.
New jobless numbers out Thursday morning show a total of 16.8 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits in the last three weeks.
McConnell pleaded with Democrats to pass a measure that would change the funding for the program from $350 billion to $600 billion total in a "clean" emergency measure.
"This does not have to be nor should it be contentious," McConnell said, adding that lawmakers can always return to pass other legislation.
"To my Democratic colleagues, please do not block emergency aid you do not even oppose just because you want something more," McConnell pleaded.
But Democrats say they’ve got a better plan, and want additional provisions and protections to help businesses in disadvantaged communities.
Their proposal would cost roughly double the Republicans’ and include an additional $100 billion for hospitals and $150 billion more for state and local governments as well as increases to food assistance benefits.
Democrats called McConnell's move a "political stunt" because the Senate leader knew his plan didn't have bipartisan support but put it forward anyway, knowing it would fail.
"I'm afraid that this unanimous consent is basically a political stunt because it will not address the immediate need of small businesses in the legislation that we have passed," Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) said.
Democrats said small businesses have been seeking fixes in the loan program already that could have garnered bipartisan support if McConnell had worked with them.
“Yes, we know we need more money for this program,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
“But for goodness sakes, let's take the opportunity to make some bipartisan fixes to allow this program to work better for the very people it's designed to help -- small businesses, nonprofits.
"That’s what they are asking us to do."
During a brief Senate session Thursday morning, McConnell sought unanimous consent for the small business funding boost.
But Cardin objected and McConnell formally rejected the Democrats' alternative proposal -- creating an impasse.
And even if it had passed the Senate, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned Wednesday the narrow McConnell plan couldn't pass the House by unanimous consent.
Meanwhile, Kentucky GOP Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) again threatened to block anything passing the House during the pandemic without lawmakers returning to Washington to vote in person.
The disarray at the Capitol leaves small business owners in the balance as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warns the popular program is on track to be depleted as struggling businesses rush to apply for aid.
The Paycheck Protection Program helps businesses with under 500 employees apply for loans to cover eight weeks of their payroll, benefit and rent expenses.
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The loans will be converted to grants and fully forgiven if 75 percent of the loan is used to keep employees on the payroll.
The program was created as part of the $2.2 trillion CARES Act that passed last month.
McConnell said at least $100 billion in loans for small businesses -- roughly 30 percent of the fund -- has already been approved under the program since it started accepting applications April 3.
McConnell accused Democrats of trying to hold paychecks "hostage" and blasted them for trying to push programs that have "zero" chance of passing the House and Senate.
"The country cannot afford unnecessary wrangling or political maneuvering," McConnell said.
