Coalition supports the PPP Extension Act of 2021

Washington — The American Dental Association and more than 90 like-minded stakeholders led by the International Franchise Association are supporting a new bill that would extend the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program application period beyond the March 31 sunset date.

The coalition sent letters March 15 to Senate Small Business Committee Chair Ben Cardin, D-Md., and Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, and House Small Business Committee Chair Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., and Ranking Member Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo., and Reps. Young Kim, R-Calif., and Carolyn Bourdeaux, D-Ga., to thank the lawmakers for the PPP Extension Act of 2021.

In the letter the groups shared concerns over the lack of progress on major Paycheck Protection Program processing issues, including hold/error codes and application rejections due to taxpayer identification number issues or mismatches. They also reported there being many unresolved technical problems with the current process and noted, “these delays and denials may put many applicants in danger of not making the March 31 authorization deadline.”

“Nearly one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the continued liquidity challenges of the small business sector are acute, especially for those business limited by dramatic capacity restrictions and other critical health and safety protocols in place to protect the public, consumers and workers from COVID-19,” the groups wrote. “Thank you for extending the window of opportunity for pandemic programs to effectively impact the affected small business sector, especially those traditionally under-invested and underserved groups which must also be given the chance to succeed.”

After the letter was sent, the U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the bill by a vote of 415-3.

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