(Radio Iowa) — The federal program providing emergency loans to small businesses has run out of money. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst supports providing the program an additional 250-BILLION in federal funds. “As of Tuesday, there were more than 22,000 loans that had been approved with small businesses receiving $3.5 billion so far,” Ernst says, “and that’s just the state of Iowa.”

Senate Democrats say they support putting another quarter of a trillion dollars in the small business loan program — but they’re asking for more money for hospitals as well as states and local governments hit with pandemic-related expenses. Republicans like Ernst say a discussion about that assistance can wait and the senate needs to quickly pass a simple bill that just provides more money for small businesses.

“No political gimmicks, just a simple ask to put more money in this program,” Ernst says. “Unfortunately, politics got in the way.” Congress originally approved 350 BILLION dollars for what’s called the “Paycheck Protection Program” since the small business loans will be forgiven if the 75 percent of the loan is used to pay workers. The 350-BILLION dollars ran out yesterday (Thursday).

Also yesterday, Iowa G-O-P chairman Jeff Kaufmann blasted a pro-Democratic group for running an ad that criticizes Ernst. The ad features a doctor who’s the spouse of a former Iowa Democratic Party leader.