The fund Congress allocated to keep struggling small businesses afloat has run dry -- and federal officials have been unable to reach a deal to keep it running.
The Senate adjourned for the weekend on Thursday without voting on a deal that would infuse the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) with an additional $250 billion. Republicans wanted to pass the funding by itself, but Democrats refused to vote on it without including funding for additional measures.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell slammed his colleagues across the aisle during the short session on Thursday.
“This morning, the program ran out of money and shut down, just as we’d warned. But even now, Senate Democrats are still blocking funding. Every Senate Republican was ready to act today, but Democrats would not let us reopen the program,” McConnell said on the floor, referring to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
“It is surreal to see Democratic leaders treat support for workers and small businesses as something they need to be goaded into supporting. This should be above politics,” McConnell added. “I hope our colleagues come around soon.”
Such partisan squabbling would be normal -- positive, even -- during most times. Congress shouldn't appropriate money without serious bipartisan support, and, normally, we wouldn't favor taxpayer dollars going straight to businesses.
But these businesses are on the brink of disaster due to the government-mandated lockdowns. It's as if federal and state governments seized local businesses without compensating them. In this scenario, Congress has a duty to make them whole.
And yet, they're still consumed with partisanship. If anyone still believed in the good intentions of our federal officials, that belief should be extinguished. Our "leaders" in D.C. care more about securing a political win than doing right by the American people.
It's time we reminded our representatives in Congress who they work for. They can't be trusted to put their constituents ahead of their own priorities, so their constituents need to take matters into their own hands.
Millions of Americans have joined the Article V Convention of States movement because they want reassert their place in our system of governance. An Article V Convention of States is called and controlled by the states and the people and has the power to propose constitutional amendments.
These amendments can limit the power of the federal government, force Congress to be fiscally responsible, and limit the terms of office for federal officials. But more than that, these amendments will provide a powerful wakeup call to our leaders in D.C. They aren't immune from feeling the consequences of their actions. They have to worry about more than just the next election -- they have to worry about their power being stripped away at a Convention of States.
Join the movement. Sign the petition below to tell your state legislators that you support the Founders' solution to federal overreach.
