The Treasury Department said Thursday that it was asking approximately 150 publicly traded firms to repay nearly $600 million in loans they received from the federal program designed to help small businesses cover expenses and payroll amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The change comes after the initial $349 billion in emergency funding for small businesses ran out last week, with critics pointing to a loophole that allowed large companies to receive loans by applying through multiple subsidiaries with under 500 employees. A Wall Street Journal analysis found that 24 of the publicly traded companies that took loans employed more than 500 people, while a third earned over $100 million in annual revenue in their last fiscal year.

โ€œThe intent of this money was not for big, public companies that have access to capital,โ€ Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin said at a news briefing Tuesday.

Several public companies, including burger chain Shake Shack, which received $10 million, and Ruthโ€™s Chris Steak House, which received $20 million, have already said they will return the loans.