Cotton Leads 27 Senators in Urging DOJ to Investigate Improper PPP Funding for Planned Parenthood

Contact Your Elected Officials

Washington, D.C. – Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), along with Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Kelly Loeffler (R-Georgia), Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), David Perdue (R-Georgia), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), Ben Sasse (R-Nebraska), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), John Thune (R-South Dakota) and Todd Young (R-Indiana) today sent a letter to Attorney General Bill Barr urging the Department of Justice to investigate whether dozens of Planned Parenthood affiliates across the country applied for and received loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) despite knowing they were ineligible to apply.

Under the statuary text of the CARES Act, organizations like these affiliates were expressly prohibited from receiving PPP funds. Additionally, the Small Business Administration confirmed last month that its standing affiliation rules apply to the new PPP, which excludes organizations like Planned Parenthood that employ its type of governance and affiliation structure and exceed the cap on total employees.

The letter reads, in part

“The Paycheck Protection Program established by the CARES Act was designed by Congress to help struggling small businesses and nonprofit organizations by giving them access to low-cost loans for expenses like keeping their employees on payroll during this pandemic. It was not designed to give government funds to politicized, partisan abortion providers like Planned Parenthood. The funds in the program are not unlimited, and were depleted once already because of high demand. Planned Parenthood fraudulently taking tens of millions of dollars that were intended to help keep those small businesses and nonprofit organizations afloat cannot stand and must be addressed.”

The full text of the letter can be found below or by clicking here.

The Honorable William Barr
Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20530

Dear Attorney General Barr,

We write to urge you to investigate the activities of dozens of Planned Parenthood affiliates that reportedly applied for and received approximately $80 million in loans from the Paycheck Protection Program, despite actual knowledge that they were ineligible for such loans.

This week, it was publicly reported that at least thirty-seven Planned Parenthood affiliates across the country applied for and received millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program loans administered by the Small Business Administration (“SBA”). These Planned Parenthood entities self-certified eligibility for these loans despite the clear ineligibility under the statutory text of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, which was signed into law on March 27, 2020. It was also well-publicized at the time that the CARES Act did not allow Planned Parenthood affiliates to utilize these loans.

The implementing interim final rule, issued by the SBA on April 15, 2020, explicitly stated that the SBA’s affiliation rules apply to the new Paycheck Protection Program, which excludes organizations like Planned Parenthood that employ its type of governance and affiliation structure and exceed the cap on total employees. Trump administration officials were also quoted in public reports, explicitly clarifying that the SBA’s interim final rule ensured that no funds from the Paycheck Protection Program could go to Planned Parenthood.

Most damningly, Planned Parenthood’s own political action committee, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, issued a statement on the CARES Act after the Act’s passage in the Senate, saying: “The bill gives the Small Business Administration broad discretion to exclude Planned Parenthood affiliates and other non-profits serving people with low incomes and deny them benefits under the new small business loan program.”

Based on these statements, it seems clear that Planned Parenthood knew that it was ineligible for the small business loans under the CARES Act long before its affiliates fraudulently self-certified that they were eligible. As you know, fraudulent loan applications can trigger both civil and criminal penalties.

The Paycheck Protection Program established by the CARES Act was designed by Congress to help struggling small businesses and nonprofit organizations by giving them access to low-cost loans for expenses like keeping their employees on payroll during this pandemic. It was not designed to give government funds to politicized, partisan abortion providers like Planned Parenthood. The funds in the program are not unlimited, and were depleted once already because of high demand. Planned Parenthood fraudulently taking tens of millions of dollars that were intended to help keep those small businesses and nonprofit organizations afloat cannot stand and must be addressed.

Thank you for your work investigating and prosecuting those who would fraudulently steal millions of dollars in taxpayer funds during this pandemic.

Sincerely,

200521-SIGNED-Cotton-Colleagues-ltr-to-AG-Barr-re-PPP-loans

The Thinking Conservative
The Thinking Conservativehttps://www.thethinkingconservative.com/
The goal of THE THINKING CONSERVATIVE is to help us educate ourselves on conservative topics of importance to our freedom and our pursuit of happiness. We do this by sharing conservative opinions on all kinds of subjects, from all types of people, and all kinds of media, in a way that will challenge our perceptions and help us to make educated choices.

Katie Porter Syndrome: Toxic Feminism 101

“Katie Porter Syndrome” is a pathology inflicted upon Congressional staffers, the media, and, if the patient gets herself elected governor, all of CA.

The Unique European Social Contract: Effectiveness Over Values

American conservatives often ground their political stances on social issues. The European conversation centers on an effectiveness assessment.

Trump’s Middle East Triumph is Worth Celebrating Even As Peace Remains Elusive 

President Trump’s bold foreign policy defies globalist appeasement, showcasing unwavering American strength and decisive leadership on the world stage.

Are conservatives fighting a fiction of woke?

Wokery, it hurts to say it, is too disorganized to have an organized cosmology or doctrine of metaphysical belief.

Illinois Democrat Offenders Reveal Party

The crime of J.B Pritzker and Brandon Johnson in this episode of American history is called subversion at the least , but could be as serious as treason.

Katie Porter Syndrome: Toxic Feminism 101

“Katie Porter Syndrome” is a pathology inflicted upon Congressional staffers, the media, and, if the patient gets herself elected governor, all of CA.

Biden Undergoing Radiation, Hormone Treatment for Prostate Cancer

Former President Biden has begun receiving a combination of radiation and hormone treatments for prostate cancer, spokesperson announced.

Gaza Citizens Begin Returning Home Amid Cease-Fire

Palestinians began returning to their homes on Oct. 11 as the cease-fire between Israel and terror group Hamas got underway.

Homan Says DOJ Probing Funding Behind ‘Organized’ Attacks on ICE

Border czar, Homan said DOJ launched an investigation into funding for what he called “organized” attacks on federal immigration enforcement agents.

First Lady’s Effort Helped Reunite 8 War-Displaced Children With Their Families

First lady Melania Trump said 8 children impacted by the fighting between Ukraine and Russia were reunited with their families on Oct. 9.

Trump Admin Agrees to $20 Billion Rescue Plan for Argentina

The U.S. government has finalized a $20 billion economic rescue plan for Argentina, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on Oct. 9.

Trump Says He May Invoke Insurrection Act in Portland If Necessary

President Donald Trump on Oct. 6 said he may consider invoking the Insurrection Act in Portland, Oregon, if necessary.

Trump: All Medium, Heavy Duty Trucks Entering US Will See 25 Percent Tariff on Nov. 1

President Trump announced on Monday that all medium and heavy-duty trucks entering the United States will see a 25 percent tariff starting on Nov. 1.
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

MAGA Business Central