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Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told "Tucker Carlson Tonight" Wednesday any potential "phase four" coronavirus aid bill must include incentives to businesses that have been forced to lay off, furlough or otherwise dismiss workers due to the state-imposed restrictions.
"I think we need to protect every single job in this country until this emergency passes," Hawley said, "and I think that has to be the focus of phase four."
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Hawley also told host Tucker Carlson that lawmakers should not allow private equity firms to disproportionately benefit from future aid legislation after Carlson informed Hawley of a report that such firms are heavily lobbying Congress for benefits from the legislation.
"It's certainly not going to happen with my support," Hawley said. "Private equity was sitting on a trillion, that's with a 'T,' a trillion and a half in cash back in January
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"So if they need access to capital, they ought to spend some of their own money. And private equity has access to credit facilities the average independent small business person, at least in my state of Missouri, absolutely does not."