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Lawmakers Press for Answers over Secretive $500 Billion Coronavirus Bailout

HeadlineJun 18, 2020

House Democrats have launched a probe into the Trump administration’s secretive distribution of $500 billion to small businesses as part of a massive coronavirus bailout package. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has refused to release details about where the taxpayer money has gone, claiming it is “proprietary” and “confidential” information. At least four members of Congress benefited directly from the program, including two Republicans — Congressmembers Roger Williams of Texas and Vicky Hartzler of Missouri — who both opposed a bill to force the Small Business Administration to disclose details on all loans over $2 million. One unlikely recipient of the loans has been publicly funded charter schools. The group Network for Public Education has tracked nearly $50 million going to 27 charter schools across the country.

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