UPDATE: Sen. Sinema's example appears to have encouraged another Democrat, Sen. Tina Smith (MN), to break ranks and tell her party to stop playing politics.
I agree with Democrats, Marco Rubio and the U.S. Chamber—we should fix the small business program so it works better. And we should help hospitals and support state and local services like firefighters and police—immediately. https://t.co/2jzSKhxKId
— Senator Tina Smith (@SenTinaSmith) April 16, 2020
ORIGINAL POST
The Payment Protection Program, set up to relieve small businesses that have suffered during the coronavirus pandemic and economic shutdown, has run dry. Congress had a chance to add another $250 billion to the program last week. But Democrats, even those who helped draft the PPP, blocked the vote.
Thankfully not all Democrats are following House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's leads. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) joined Republicans in sharing her disappointment over her party's obstruction of additional PPP funding.
The PPP program is going to run out of funding soon - the Senate should approve add’l funding by unanimous consent ASAP. Small businesses need our help to survive during this emergency. https://t.co/kYTbjGHCXM
— Kyrsten Sinema (@kyrstensinema) April 16, 2020
She was praised for her display of bipartisan common sense, including by fellow senator Ted Cruz.
Good for Sinema. Don'r see how Dem Congressional leaders can continue to insist on holding PPP funding hostage to try to obtain other concessions. https://t.co/pDLsJA42jZ
— (((AG))) (@AGHamilton29) April 16, 2020
Kyrsten Sinema showing more leadership to help workers impacted by the coronavirus than Joe Biden.
— Andrew Clark (@AndrewHClark) April 16, 2020
Why hasn't Joe Biden demanded his own Democrat Party stop their obstruction?
Is he afraid no one will listen to him? https://t.co/3T4cC8RTu3
Exactly right! Please tell Chuck Schumer to stop objecting. https://t.co/aXwsour6zF
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) April 16, 2020
GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy will be happy to hear that Sinema is on board. On CNBC's "Squawk Box" Thursday morning, he wondered how on Earth Pelosi had managed to make this a partisan game.
"Nancy Pelosi and I disagree philosophically on a lot of things, but I can't believe we could disagree on this," he wondered.
"All it simply takes is the Democrats to say yes, I don’t know what more it takes," he added. "There are 5 million reasons today. Twenty-two million this month. This is not a time to play politics."
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