Small Biz panel reviews SBA budget

      Lawmakers on the House Small Business Committee issued responses to the Small Business Administration’s fiscal 2019 budget request, and recommended a number of changes for SBA’s small business federal contracting programs.

      The Republican majority issued a report outlining several broad areas of concern, including a complaint that SBA was insufficiently staffed to handle all the necessary certification and reporting, and that SBA takes a long time to follow through in implementing legislative changes.

      In addition, the GOP panelists also raised an ongoing concern that the SBA is initiating programs without explicit approval from the committee or adequate internal review.

      “Many of these efforts have not been reviewed, approved or sanctioned by this Committee and often duplicate longstanding small business outreach efforts funded through SBA’s annual appropriation” the committee’s GOP majority wrote in its Views and Estimates report. “This funding could be eliminated without hindering outreach to small businesses.” The panel suggested the money go instead to technology and to staffing for government contracting.

      Democrats on the committee also released a report (see story on page 12). Since the GOP is the majority in Congress, the GOP committee members control the committee’s agenda. More information:

More information: GOP report: http://goo.gl/dGT8Si
Democratic report: http://goo.gl/XcvST4

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