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Press Release Published: Mar 25, 2021

Jordan: 99% of PPP Funding Went to Correct Recipient & Used Appropriately

Debunks Democrats’ myths about successful program that supported 51 million jobs

WASHINGTON—Today, Representative Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) opened today’s Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis hearing by welcoming Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) to the Select Subcommittee and calling out Speaker Pelosi and Democrats for seeking to overturn her election. 

During his remarks, Jordan touted the successes of the Paycheck Protection Program, underscoring it supported 51 million jobs, over 80 percent of America’s small businesses, and saved almost 19 million jobs from permanent loss. He also emphasized the Trump Administration harnessed the full force of the federal government to find and prosecute fraud in the Paycheck Protection Program and noted over 99 percent of the money went to the correct recipient and has been used appropriately. 

Jordan concluded the hearing by calling on Democrats to abandon their pandemic politics and instead focus on getting kids back in school, getting vaccines to rural communities, holding Governor Cuomo accountable, and addressing the health crisis at the southern border. 

Below are Jordan’s remarks as prepared.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman and our witnesses for appearing virtually today. 

It’s interesting we continue to hold only virtual hearings in this Subcommittee despite the fact that four members of the Majority celebrated their partisan $1.9 trillion spending spree in-person at the White House just two weeks ago. 

I want to welcome a new Republican Member of the Select Subcommittee—Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks from Iowa. 

We appreciate her hard work on behalf of her constituents while Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats are currently challenging Dr. Miller-Meek’s election.

She won the general.

Won the recount.

And the state of Iowa certified her results. 

But her opponent skipped the courts and ran straight to Speaker Pelosi and Congressional Democrats to overturn the election. 

The Speaker knows she has a razor thin majority and won’t be able to strong arm her far-left agenda through the House without this seat.

Using her political power to overturn an elected Member is her only option.

But it’s a dangerous game that will likely backfire. 

Adding Dr. Miller-Meeks, also means that the Subcommittee in charge of investigating a health pandemic now has its second medical doctor—both Republicans. 

Today, we are here to talk about fraud. 

Anyone that commits fraud and steals taxpayer dollars from hardworking Americans should be punished to the fullest extent of the law and the money recouped. 

The Trump Administration harnessed the full force of the federal government to find and prosecute fraud, particularly in the Paycheck Protection Program. 

In fact, the Trump Department of Justice stood up a PPP Fraud Task Force which brought its first fraud case within one month of the program starting. 

This enforcement pace is unmatched in the history of the Department’s white collar prosecution efforts. 

So far, the FBI has opened 537 fraud cases, arrested 111 fraudsters, and began the process of recouping millions of stolen dollars. 

This is good.

This is the justice system working.

The Democrats will claim that the PPP is rife with fraud.

When it is in fact just the opposite. 

Using the Democrat’s own statistics, over 99 percent of PPP money got to the correct recipient and has been used appropriately. 

This is a better rate than the private mortgage market. 

The Democrats will also ignore the massive successes of the program.

PPP supported 51 million jobs, over 80 percent of America’s small businesses, and saved almost 19 million jobs from permanent loss. 

This is unprecedented. 

Of course, it cannot go on forever. 

It is time to reopen our states – even the blue states. We must get people back to work and get kids back to school. 

Just this week, the Federal Reserve Board Governor in charge of community banking said the economy must re-open and lockdowns must be lifted. 

Florida re-opened and was vilified. 

New York and Governor Cuomo shut down and were praised. 

The facts are clear now. 

Florida is successful.

And Governor Cuomo is under criminal investigation. 

Florida protected seniors while Cuomo sent the virus to them.

Florida’s death rate amongst seniors is 50 percent lower than New York’s.

Of course, instead of investigating Cuomo’s actions, Democrats rewarded him with a 13-billion-dollar bailout. 

Contrary to the Chairman’s own statements, this Subcommittee remains steadfastly focused on politics.

It is past time we hold in person hearings on getting kids back in school, getting vaccines to rural communities, on Cuomo’s nursing home disaster, and on the health crisis at the southern border. 

Instead, this Subcommittee is focused on attempting to tear down a bipartisan program that kept the economy afloat during worst days of the pandemic. 

We all agree fraud is bad, but we should all agree that a 99 percent success record is unprecedented, and we have President Trump to thank.

Thank you and I yield back.