(WASHINGTON, D.C.)—Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) joined Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus Providers and Clinics Task Force, House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Small Business Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight and Regulations Chairwoman Judy Chu (D-CA), and Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Diana DeGette (D-CO), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, and 160 other members of Congress in sending a letter to the Trump Administration denouncing reports of ideological attacks on Planned Parenthood health centers that participated in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
 
According to recent news reports, the Small Business Administration (SBA) sent letters to participating Planned Parenthood health centers incorrectly alleging they were ineligible for PPP loans. However, Planned Parenthood centers that operate as independent 501(c)(3) organizations and have fewer than 500 employees, are not barred from participating in PPP, consistent with SBA’s affiliation status and size rules. 
 
“It is critical that SBA administer the PPP in a uniform manner that does not seek to exclude any entity or subset of entities on the basis of political ideology,” wrote the lawmakers. “We therefore strongly urge SBA to stop targeting Planned Parenthood health care centers and instead dedicate critical resources to ensuring that small businesses and not-for-profit organizations across the United States can access the financial support they critically need during the coronavirus pandemic.”
 
A PDF of the full letter is available here.

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