Contact: Jordan Dunn
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) today signed a discharge petition to provide crucial support to American small businesses amidst the ongoing pandemic. Should the petition garner 218 signatures in the House, it would force a floor vote on H.R. 8215, a bill that would extend the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and allow companies to take second draw loans to help stay float through the end of the year. The program would utilize the more than $135 billion in unused funds that currently cannot be distributed until Congress modifies the program.
“The Paycheck Protection Program has saved nearly one million jobs in Wisconsin, yet since August, Congress has let partisan politics get in the way of extending this critical lifeline. As a result, more than $135 billion now sits idle instead of helping small business owners and the hardworking individuals they employ,” said Rep. Gallagher. “It’s insane we need to resort to a discharge petition to do this, but just as we came together to create the Paycheck Protection Program, I call on my colleagues to once again put politics aside so we can get this long overdue relief to Americans.”
A discharge petition is a procedural tool that allows a majority of House members to sidestep House leadership to bring legislation to the floor. The discharge petition was filed on September 25 by Rep. Jamie Herrera Beutler (R-WA) after Speaker Pelosi continued to delay bringing forward a bill that would allow this funding to be distributed.
ICYMI:
Last week, Rep. Gallagher joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues in calling on House leadership to postpone the upcoming October recess until bipartisan relief, such as this, passed the House.
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