一项新设立的项目旨在减轻小企业主的工资和运营成本，该项目资金将持续到下周，因为立法者尚未就补充减少的资金达成一致。
在小企业管理局(SBA)称其通过批准超过166万笔贷款耗尽了3490亿美元后，周四，向小企业提供可宽恕贷款的薪酬保护计划告罄，相当于“14天内超过14年的贷款价值”。"
国会在如何分配更多资金的问题上仍然僵持不下，在过去的四周里，大约有2200万美国人申请失业救济。参议院和众议院下一次通过立法的机会不会分别在周一和周二，对小企业的救助将会停滞不前。
参议院多数党领袖米奇·麦康奈尔(共和党)说:“一周后，我们就在这里，毫无进展。)在地板上说。"但即使是现在，参议院民主党人仍在阻挠拨款."
国会民主党人和特朗普政府为达成一项关于决斗资助提案的协议而进行的两党会谈，迄今为止被证明是不成功的。众议院议长南希·佩洛西(加州民主党)和参议院少数党领袖查克·舒默(纽约州民主党)的工作人员在过去两天与财政部官员进行了几次讨论，其中包括财政部长史蒂文·姆努钦。立法者的发言人周四下午说，“谈判正在进行中”。
(L-R)1月15日，美国国会大厦，美国参议院少数党领袖查克·舒默(民主党-纽约州)在国会金质奖章仪式上，看着多数党领袖米奇·麦康奈尔(共和党-肯塔基州)讲话。
在政府想要的2510亿美元的额外资金中，民主党希望有一部分——1250亿美元——通过向小型社区银行和少数民族、退伍军人和农民拥有的企业倾斜，惠及更广泛的接受者。他们还要求为医院和地方医疗设施拨款1000亿美元，为州和地方政府拨款1500亿美元，并将食品券福利提高15%。
共和党人和政府只是想要2510亿美元——没有附加条件。最初的3490亿美元是在上月批准的2万亿美元刺激计划下提供的。
麦康奈尔说:“看到民主党领导人把对工人和小企业的支持视为需要激励他们支持的事情，这绝对是不现实的。”。他后来告诉记者，“其他项目的资金还没有到位。并不意味着我们以后不会再处理它。”
一些民主党人似乎对结束僵局、允许紧急融资通过的想法越来越感兴趣，因为自上周以来达成协议的努力尚未产生结果。民主党人阻止了麦康奈尔的努力4月9日，在麦康奈尔阻止民主党的版本前不久，通过了一个干净的版本。
明尼苏达州的民主党参议员蒂娜·史密斯和亚利桑那州的基尔斯顿·西纳马在周四的推特上写道，小企业贷款应该“尽快”得到商会的批准前总统巴拉克·奥巴马任命的小企业管理局前负责人卡伦·米尔斯告诉记者点名“头等大事”应该是“补充资金”
“复杂性不是我们这里的朋友，”她告诉媒体。“必须快速实施的事情不能有太多的附加条件，否则会有太多意想不到的后果——其中之一就是延迟。我们没有时间拖延。”
佩洛西和舒默尚未表示他们可以支持妥协。佩洛西在周四的电话会议上告诉记者，“对于帮助小企业的想法没有异议”
“谈判，谈判，谈判。这是我们作为立法者应该做的，”她说。“我们希望政府能够认识到这些需求，不要剥夺州政府、地方政府、医院以及小企业满足我们所服务人群需求的每一个机会。”
民主党人指出，全国各地的地方和州领导人呼吁增加资金。美国市长会议认可了佩洛西-舒默的提议，马里兰州、宾夕法尼亚州、密歇根州和威斯康星州的州长都是要求更多资源的州领导人。
当穆努钦和民主党人继续会谈时，共和党人正准备达成一项各方都能支持的协议。
“我希望我们的同事很快会回心转意，”麦康奈尔谈到民主党时说。
SMALL-BUSINESS FUND TO REMAIN EMPTY UNTIL NEXT WEEK AS CONGRESS FIGHTS OVER TERMS, HOSPITAL FUNDING
A newly established program designed to bring relief to small-business owners for payroll and operating costs will remain out of money until next week, as lawmakers have yet to reach an agreement over replenishing the diminished funds.
The Paycheck Protection Program that gives forgivable loans to small businesses ran dry Thursday after the Small Business Administration (SBA) said it exhausted its $349 billion by approving more than 1.66 million loans, an equivalent of "more than 14 years' worth of loans in less than 14 days."
Congress remains deadlocked over how to appropriate more money, an impasse that comes as roughly 22 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits in the past four weeks. And with the next opportunity to pass legislation not until Monday and Tuesday in the Senate and House, respectively, relief for small businesses will remain stalled.
"Here's where we are, a week later, with absolutely no progress," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on the floor. "But even now, Senate Democrats are still blocking funding."
Bipartisan talks between congressional Democrats and the Trump administration to come to an agreement over dueling funding proposals have so far proved unsuccessful. Staff members of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) have had several discussions with Treasury Department officials over the past two days—including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. The "talks are ongoing," spokespersons for the lawmakers said Thursday afternoon.
(L-R) U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) looks on as Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaks during a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on January 15 in Washington, DC.
Of the $251 billion additional money the administration wants, Democrats want a portion—$125 billion—to reach a wider range of recipients by going toward small, community banks and businesses owned by minorities, veterans and farmers. They're also demanding $100 billion for hospitals and local medical facilities, $150 billion for state and local governments, and for food stamp benefits to be increased by 15 percent.
Republicans and the administration simply want the $251 billion—no strings attached. The original $349 billion was provided under the $2 trillion stimulus package approved last month.
"It is absolutely surreal to see Democratic leaders treat support for workers and small businesses as something they need to be goaded into supporting," McConnell said. He later told reporters "the money for the other programs are not yet out the door. Doesn't mean we won't be dealing with it later."
Some Democrats appear to be warming to the idea of ending the stalemate and allowing the emergency funding to pass, as efforts to reach a deal since last week have yet to bear results. Democrats blocked an effort by McConnell April 9 to pass a clean version shortly before McConnell blocked Democrats' version.
Democratic Senators Tina Smith of Minnesota and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona wrote in tweets Thursday that the small-business loan money should be approved by the chamber "ASAP." And former head of SBA Karen Mills, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, told Roll Call the "number one" priority should be to "get the money replenished."
"Complexity is not our friend here," she told the outlet. "Things that have to be implemented quickly can't have a lot of bells and whistles, or else there will be too many unintended consequences—one of which is delay. And we don't have time to delay."
Pelosi and Schumer have yet to say there's a compromise they can support. Pelosi told reporters on a conference call Thursday there's no "disagreement about wanting to help small businesses."
"Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate. That's what we do as legislators," she said. "We hope that the administration will recognize those needs and not deprive state and local, as well as hospitals, as well as small businesses, of every opportunity to meet the needs of the people we serve."
Democrats have pointed to the calls for more funding from local and state leaders across the country. The U.S. Conference of Mayors endorsed the Pelosi-Schumer proposal, and the governors of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin have been among state leaders who've requested more resources.
As Mnuchin and Democrats continue their talks, Republicans are standing by for a deal all sides can support.
"I hope our colleagues will come around soon," McConnell said of Democrats.
