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The Small Business Administration (SBA) has launched an investigation into whether affiliates of the prominent abortion provider, Planned Parenthood, improperly received $88 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans during the COVID-19 crisis.
“During the peak of the pandemic, Planned Parenthood affiliates secured $88 million in taxpayer money to advance their abortion services,” SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler shared with The Daily Signal. “The Biden administration ensured that nearly all of this was forgiven, despite objections from the initial Trump administration.”
Loeffler further stated, “Even after six years, the Trump SBA maintains that Planned Parenthood Federation of America was not entitled to any pandemic relief funds from taxpayers.”
This SBA investigation coincides with the March for Life event, where a large gathering of pro-life supporters converges on Washington, DC, to champion the rights of the unborn.
The Daily Signal’s Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell reports that the SBA has reached out to 38 affiliates of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, requesting evidence of their eligibility for the COVID-era financial aid. The report also highlights that under the PPP program, the Biden administration forgave 34 loans granted to these affiliates.
The SBA’s scrutiny is focused on determining whether these affiliates misrepresented either their organization size or their affiliation with the central Planned Parenthood body to unlawfully qualify for the loans.
“As part of the review underway, not only will we expose the Planned Parenthood affiliates who took advantage of the American people — we will take every necessary step to force every bad actor to pay them back,” Loeffler said.
Affiliates that fail to provide documentation to SBA may be found ineligible for the loan and forgiveness of the loan, the report continues. SBA said affiliates that are found to have provided wrong or false information will face “severe penalties, including repayment of the loan, ineligibility for loan forgiveness, and possible referral for civil or criminal penalties.”
PPP ran during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, from April 3, 2020, to May 31, 2021. The loans were designed to help small businesses pay their employees during pandemic disruptions and government-enforced shutdowns. PPP applicants had to self-certify the size of their businesses to the SBA.
According to the Trump administration, Planned Parenthood affiliates claimed to be independent, qualified entities with fewer than 500 employees, in line with PPP requirements. However, the Trump administration contends none of those affiliates were actually eligible because of their affiliation with Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which altogether surpasses the 500-worker limit.
The pro-abortion Biden administration also forgave many PPP loans to the affiliations without “engaging in a meaningful review of their respective applications,” the report states.
Congressional Republicans have previously asked for investigations into the PPP loans doled out to Planned Parenthood affiliates, including Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA).
Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for – News. You can follow her on X @thekat_hamilton.
