Statewide Iowa — U.S. Senator Joni Ernst says she supports letting businesses get a second federal COVID-19 relief grant that can be converted to a loan — if the business uses 60 percent of the money to cover payroll and employee benefits.
(As above) “We still do have $100 billion-plus sitting in the Paycheck Protection Program fund that has not been utilized or allocated to businesses yet,” Ernst says, “so it is possible and I am pushing for a second round for those heavily affected businesses — allow them to come back in and support their employees through the Paycheck Protection Program.”
President Trump has expressed interest in a second round of stimulus checks to individual Americans. House Democrats are onboard, but some Senate Republicans have expressed opposition. Ernst has been non-commital that specific proposal, but she says senators will develop some sort of second economic stimulus plan this summer.
(As above) “And we would anticipate seeing that maybe move through congress mid-July to early part of August,” Ernst says.
Congress is currently on recess. The Senate is to reconvene July 20th.
