Congressmen Frank Lucas and Tom Cole have signed the discharge petition to force a House vote on H.R. 8265. The bill would extend the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) through the end of the year, release $135 billion of unspent funds for the program, and enable certain eligible businesses to apply for a second forgivable loan.
“Across Oklahoma, small businesses are on the brink of closure. Through no fault of their own, Main Street businesses throughout the Third District have had to scale back business hours and lay off dedicated employees just to stay afloat during the pandemic,” said Lucas. “One critical program that has helped more than 66,000 Oklahoma small businesses is the Paycheck Protection Program. Sadly, last month, this vital program expired with $135 billion left unspent, leaving many small businesses without a lifeline to weather the pandemic’s economic conditions. While Speaker Pelosi has failed to address this lapse and has called targeted legislation on unemployment benefits and the Paycheck Protection Program ‘piecemeal’, my House Republican colleagues and I are working to force a vote to bring this common-sense legislation up on the House Floor. I thank my colleague, Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler, for leading this discharge petition to extend the Paycheck Protection Program, and I hope this bill can see a vote on the House Floor so that Oklahoman businesses and employees can continue to receive the help they need.”
“It is disappointing that Republicans must resort to a discharge petition to pressure Speaker Pelosi to free up money already provided and intended to aid small businesses struggling because of the coronavirus pandemic,” said Cole. “Since it was created, the Paycheck Protection Program has helped millions of small businesses keep their doors open and their workers employed. As the race for a vaccine continues in order to restore our way of life, Congress should ensure vital and existing PPP aid remains available. Indeed, it is simply commonsense to renew the program so that it can help even more American job creators weather the storm. This is not and should not be a controversial or partisan issue. It is a matter of protecting American livelihoods that remain at risk because of a deadly virus that originated in China. I urge Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats to allow a vote on this simple PPP extension legislation.”
If the discharge petition gets 218 signatures in the U.S. House of Representatives, it will force consideration and a vote on H.R. 8265.
