WASHINGTON — United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) in today’s Senate Banking Committee hearing questioned Jessica Milano, a Small Business Majority board member, about how the federal government must ensure resources are focused on helping those most affected by the pandemic quickly and on existing Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) dollars that have yet to be put to use. Hagerty also spoke with Joe DeLoss, Founder and CEO of Hot Chicken Takeover of Columbus, Ohio, about his hot chicken concept and what inspired it. Hagerty made sure to note that Nashville will remain the capital of hot chicken, and commended Mr. DeLoss for his hiring practices.
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Hagerty: “First, I’d like to start with Mr. DeLoss. I’m from Tennessee. I’m very interested in your hot chicken concept. I’m curious, what inspired that?”
DeLoss: “A trip to your fine state. In fact, my wife and I took a trip to Nashville on a bit of a baby-moon before our first kid was born and were inspired and had nothing like it in our market.”
Hagerty: “Well, I will have to say this, coming from Tennessee and from the Nashville area, Nashville is going to remain the home of hot chicken – the capital of hot chicken – but I’m delighted to see it expand… I also want to commend you for your hiring practices. I think you’re doing a great service. I think it’s very consistent with the criminal justice reform that we saw under the past administration that was passed on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis. So I want to thank you for what you’re doing and the leadership that you’re bringing to bear there.”
Milano: “I think that those programs, PPP applications will expire March 31st and there will be a need we know, beyond the end of next month for funding. And so, I think it can work together.”
Hagerty: “My hope is that we focus very heavily on targeting the PPP funds and getting this $144 billion out the door. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”