Biden is changing PPP rules. For 2 weeks, only businesses with fewer than 20 employees can claim pandemic relief loans.

<p><img src="https://static1.businessinsider.com/image/6026ead3b3c2a800183ccb65-2400/GettyImages-1301799806.jpg" border="0" alt="Joe Biden" data-mce-source="Pete Marovich/Pool/Getty Images" data-mce-caption="President Joe Biden."></p><p></p><bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><p>President Joe Biden will launch changes on Monday to the main US coronavirus aid program for small businesses to try to reach smaller, minority-owned firms and sole proprietors left behind in previous rounds of aid.</p><p>Biden administration officials said that for two weeks starting on Wednesday, the Small Business Administration will only accept applications for forgivable <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ppp-aid-for-small-businesses-whats-different-this-round-2020-12">Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans</a> from firms with fewer than 20 employees, to ensure that they are not crowded out by larger firms.</p><p>The changes, to be formally announced by Biden on Monday, come as small business bankers say demand for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ppp-how-to-apply-faq-experts-answer-paycheck-protection-program-loans">Paycheck Protection loans</a> is slowing as firms reopen.</p><p>When the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chaotic-launch-cares-ppp-federal-loan-program-for-small-businesses-2020-4">PPP&nbsp;was launched in April 2020</a> at the height of coronavirus lockdowns under a $3 trillion relief bill, its initial $349 billion ran out in two weeks. Congress approved another $320 billion in May, but the program expired in August with about $130 billion in unused funds.</p><p>The program was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ppp-aid-for-small-businesses-whats-different-this-round-2020-12">re-launched on January 19</a> with $284 billion in new funds from a coronavirus aid bill passed at the end of December, and a Biden administration official said about $150 billion of PPP money is still available.</p><p>But&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;administration officials said there are still many minority and very small firms in low-income areas that have not been able to receive aid.</p><p>The changes aim to make it easier for firms with no employeessole proprietors, independent contractors, and self-employed people such as house cleaners and personal care providersthat could not qualify previously because of business cost deductions.</p><p>The Small Business Administration will revise the rules to match the approach used to allowed small farmers and ranchers to receive aid, the businesses said.</p><p>The officials said the program will also set aside $1 billion for businesses without employees in low- and moderate-income areas, which are 70% owned by women and people of color.</p><p>The SBA will provide new guidance making it clear that legal US residents who are not citizens, such as green card holders, cannot be excluded from the program. The Biden Administration will also eliminate exclusions that prohibit a business owner who is delinquent on student loans from participating in the program.</p><p>Business owners with non-fraud felony arrests or convictions in the previous year are excluded from the program, but Biden administration officials said they will adopt bipartisan Senate proposals to remove this restrictionunless the applicant is currently incarcerated.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-pandemic-plan-coronavirus-vaccines-testing-schools-2021-1" >How Biden plans to fight the pandemic: 100 million shots, 100 new vaccine centers, and lots more testing and PPE</a></strong></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-covid-plan-pandemic-schools-healthcare-vaccine-testing-2021-1" >American Rescue Plan: Biden just unveiled his $400 billion vaccination, testing, and public health strategy to tackle COVID-19. Here are the 10 key promises.</a></strong></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-official-solarwinds-attack-response-may-come-within-weeks-2021-2" >A Biden official says the White House's response to the SolarWinds attack may come within weeks</a></strong></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ppp-loan-rules-change-biden-small-business-loans-covid-pandemic-2021-2#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-myths-debunked-wuhan-china-2020-2">Epidemiologists debunk 13 coronavirus myths</a></p>
Click here to read full news..