Warren Buffett said on Tuesday the United States is fighting an "economic war," and that Congress must step up to help struggling small businesses that have become "collateral damage" from the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking on CNBC television, the billionaire chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc said he hopes Congress extends the Paycheck Protection Program of business loans "on a large scale."

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Andrew Heavens) ((jon.stempel@thomsonreuters.com; +1 646 223 6317; Reuters Messaging: jon.stempel.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))