Coronavirus: Trump approves 5-week PPP extension for small business loan applications

PPP application deadline extended from 30 June to 8 August

The extension to the Payroll Protection Program (PPP), which was launched in April to keep Americans on company payrolls and off unemployment assistance, gives business owners an additional five weeks to apply for funding assistance plagued by problems. An estimated $130 billion of the $659 billion provided by Congress is still up for grabs.

Critics worry the U.S. Small Business Administrator's office, which administers the loan, may continue to experience challenges in fairly distributing the funds. From the outset, the unprecedented first-come-first-served program struggled with technology and paperwork problems that led some businesses to miss out while some affluent firms got funds.

Some small businesses not getting PPP loans

The SBA's inspector general found in May that some rural, minority and women-owned businesses may not have received loans due to a lack of prioritization from the agency. Reuters reported  on Thursday that a technical glitch in a U.S. government system caused many small businesses to receive loans twice or in some cases, several times, nearly a dozen people with knowledge of the matter said.

See also:

Second Stimulus Check: Trump keen to increase the amount of payments

Joe Biden criticises Trump's handling of coronavirus pandemic

Second Stimulus Check: important dates to keep in mind