Sen. Marco Rubio Marco Antonio RubioSunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election Florida senators pushing to keep Daylight Savings Time during pandemic Hillicon Valley: DOJ indicts Chinese, Malaysian hackers accused of targeting over 100 organizations | GOP senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal | QAnon awareness jumps in new poll MORE (R-Fla.) said Tuesday that Senate Republicans are crafting a plan to provide forgivable loans to businesses derailed by the coronavirus outbreak through a $1 trillion economic rescue plan.

In a series of Thursday tweets, Rubio detailed how GOP senators plan to support companies that could be forced to lay off workers as the measures to slow the coronavirus pandemic shut down entire industries across the U.S.

Rubio said that the loans would be issued through banks, credit unions and other private-sector financial firms to help speed the process of distributing funds. If a business uses the loan to keep workers on payroll, pay their rent or handle other necessary expenses, Rubio added, they would not be forced to pay back the loan.

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The overall goal was to “Get cash to small business [as] fast & easy as possible so they don’t have to lay people off,” tweeted Rubio, who is spearheading the Senate GOP’s deliberations on business aid. “If they use it for that purpose doesn’t have to be paid back.”

Worked all night trying to finalize so bear with us on all details until finalized



But goal is straightforward:



Get cash to small business are fast & easy as possible so they don’t have to lay people off & if they use it for that purpose doesn’t have to be paid back 7/7 — Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) March 19, 2020

President Trump Donald John TrumpUS reimposes UN sanctions on Iran amid increasing tensions Jeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Trump supporters chant 'Fill that seat' at North Carolina rally MORE and lawmakers are scrambling to get ahead of a likely flood of layoffs and business failures driven by the coronavirus pandemic and the drastic measures needed to slow its progress.

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Claims for unemployment insurance spiked by 70,000 in the week between March 8 and March 13, with numbers almost certain to soar as a rising number of restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, hotels and other businesses are forced to close or limit service for weeks, if not months.

“There are a lot of enterprises that are hurting right now, and they’re going to start laying off people unless we get some money to them,” said Sen. Mitt Romney Willard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyMomentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day Toobin: McConnell engaging in 'greatest act of hypocrisy in American political history' with Ginsburg replacement vote The Memo: Court battle explodes across tense election landscape MORE (R-Utah) on the “The Hugh Hewitt Show” Thursday. “We’d rather have the employers paying those people than have them show up to the unemployment office.”

The Trump administration and lawmakers are also seeking ways to help workers who’ve already been laid off or may be forced to miss work if they or a loved one contracts the coronavirus.

Trump on Wednesday signed a bill negotiated by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiSunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election Trump is betting big on the suburbs, but his strategy is failing 'bigly' Trump orders flags at half-staff to honor 'trailblazer' Ginsburg MORE (D-Calif.) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin Steven Terner MnuchinLawmakers fear voter backlash over failure to reach COVID-19 relief deal United Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid House Democrats plan to unveil bill next week to avert shutdown MORE to bolster unemployment insurance, paid sick leave and provide free coronavirus testing.

Mnuchin also told Fox Business Network that the administration is proposing to send every U.S. household $1,000 for each adult and $500 for each child within three weeks of the stimulus bill passing with another round to come six weeks later if the economy is unable to rebound.

Lawmakers in both parties support emergency direct payments to U.S. households, which were deployed by former President George W. Bush during the 2001 and 2008 recessions.

The proposals differ greatly from the universal basic income plans supported by a slew of progressives, including former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang Andrew YangDoctor who allegedly assaulted Evelyn Yang arrested on federal charges The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden weighs in on police shootings | Who's moderating the debates | Trump trails in post-convention polls Buttigieg launches his own podcast MORE, that would provide each U.S. adult with a steady, monthly income regardless of the state of the economy.

Jordain Carney contributed.