Senate panel OKs Syed as SBA Dep Admin

One Republican “aye” vote

      Two years after being nominated, Dilawar Syed’s confirmation as Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration finally has advanced through the Senate Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee.

      On March 22, the committee voted 10-9 to confirm, with 9 Democrats and a single Republican, Sen. Ted Budd, R-NC, in favor.

      Previously, the GOP members boycotted Syed’s confirmation hearings, preventing a vote. Former Ranking Member Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, and other Republican panelists said they would not act on the nomination until SBA responded to their concerns. They cited pandemic loans to branches of Planned Parenthood and Syed’s ties to a Muslim American get-out-the-vote group.

      Chairman Sen. Ben Cardin, D-MD, referred to those objections as “unacceptable delaying tactics, spurious accusations, and unrelated controversies.”

      Next, the full Senate is expected to vote on confirming Syed.

      The SBA’s deputy administrator post--second in command to the SBA’s administrator--has been vacant for nearly five years.

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Senate panel OKs Syed as SBA Dep Admin

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