Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement after voting to extend the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to May 31, 2021, which was originally set to expire at the end of the month:
“The Paycheck Protection Program has been a lifeline helping businesses stay afloat throughout the pandemic, and with many borrowers still awaiting loan approvals, this extension will be crucial in helping our businesses keep their employees on the payroll while we restore our economy and get things back to normal. Ever since COVID-19 hit Nevada’s economy, I have worked to make sure our small businesses had the federal funding they needed to keep their doors open and their employees paid, from local underserved small businesses to our hospitality, travel, and leisure industries. I’ll continue working in Congress to make sure Nevadans have the support of the federal government to rebuild and recover.”
Since the start of the pandemic, Senator Cortez Masto has consistently called for expanded eligibility for small businesses to be able to access relief under the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program. The Senator successfully advocated for Nevada’s small gaming companies and chambers of commerce to be included in 2020 and also supported the last extension of the Paycheck Protection Program through March 31, 2021.
Senator Cortez Masto has been a strong advocate for small businesses in the Senate, leading legislation to protect small businesses from expensive data breaches and cyber-attacks and to help small businesses partner with institutions of higher education to conduct research and development.
###