Guzman on defense

      SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman fielded questions from the Senate and House small business committees in two separate hearings in recent weeks.

      At the Senate panel’s hearing on March 22, Chairman Sen. Ben Cardin, D-MD, expressed concerns about the “flat budget” for SBA’s field office staffing. “That’s our outreach,” Cardin said.

      Guzman agreed field offices are having “a huge impact” but she said it has been very difficult in recent years to obtain funding to add permanent staff while SBA is barely keeping up with cost-of-living salary increases. Meanwhile, SBA’s entrepreneurial programs are growing by $14 million this year, she told the HSBC on March 23.

      Guzman was asked why funding was being cut for longstanding SBDC and SCORE programs while funds for the relatively new Community Navigator are growing. She said the navigator is reaching more people in underserved communities.

More information:
Watch the Senate Small Business Committee hearing at: https://bit.ly/3UkrfpY
House Small Business Committee hearing: https://bit.ly/3Kl6NAm

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