Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the ranking member yielding me the time.

Madam Speaker, since the establishment of the PPP, I have heard from countless local, small businesses that the application process was difficult to navigate. In response to these revelations, I submitted to leadership a letter asking that any future funding for PPP loans contain a set-aside for the truly small businesses, like the mom and pops.

I was pleased to see this take its form in today's funding package that sets aside funds for small community banks and credit unions, which have a good track record working with our small businesses.

Madam Speaker, it would be a tragedy if we lost these mom-and-pop businesses. I have a business in my district. It is Faklis' Department Store and Shoe Repair. They have been around since 1912, Madam Speaker. I don't want to see them go. The store was established by Greek immigrants and passed on from generation to generation. It would be a great tragedy if we lost them. They survived World War II, of course, World War I, and the Great Depression. Let's save our small businesses. They are the backbone of America.

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