GOP House small biz committee members harangue Guzman

      The Small Business Administration’s chief executive, Isabella Casillas Guzman, appeared before the House Small Business Committee recently to discuss SBA’s budget and operations.

      The SBA Administrator answered many questions. But she also was interrupted repeatedly and aggressively by several Republican members on the panel.

      Here is an exchange with Republican Rep. Roger Williams of Texas.

      Williams: “Yes or no, would you support raising taxes on small businesses or individuals earning less than $400,000 per year?”

      Guzman: “President Biden’s plan...”

      Williams: “Yes or no!”

      Guzman: “...does not impact...”

      Williams: “Yes or no!...It’s a simple question.”

      Guzman: “I agree with the president...”

      Williams: “OK, you will raise taxes.”

      Guzman: “No, President Biden will not raise taxes for those (earning under) $400,000.”

      Guzman also was interrupted several times by Republican Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer of Missouri, the senior GOP member on the panel.

      Luetkemeyer asked Guzman if she was meeting regularly with President Biden to discuss the recent rise in inflation. Inflation is occurring globally due to workforce shortages and supply chain gaps following the pandemic upheaval, and to high energy costs due to sanctions on Russia for invading Ukraine.

      Luetkemeyer: “Have you advocated and offered solutions?”

      Guzman: “The president’s actions speak for themselves. He is trying...”

      Luetkemeyer: “Oh my gosh, the president’s actions are devastating!”

      Luetkemeyer then described the money supply, federal regulations and high energy prices as “nonsensical things” and asked again whether Guzman has spoken in person with President Biden about those concerns.

      Guzman: “It’s important to note that there are multiple impacts on our small businesses...”

      Luetkemeyer: “I cannot get a yes or no. I assume the answer is no, you haven’t talked to the president about this...You should be standing in front of his office once a week...If you are not doing that, you are not doing your job.”

      The atmosphere grew so heated that Committee Chair Nydia Velazquez, D-NY, stepped in.

      “Please, stop badgering the witness. Treat her with the respect that she deserves,” Velazquez said to Williams and Luetkemeyer. “We never got into this when we (Democrats) were in the minority. Let’s have a decent, respectful discussion,” she said.

      But Luetkemeyer was not finished.

      Luetkemeyer: “The reasons we are having to interrupt is that she is not responsive.”

      Velazquez: “She is answering the questions.”

      Neither Luetkemeyer nor Williams apologized. Rep. Dean Phillips, D-MN, told Guzman he was sorry for the “disrespect” displayed by some members, and the hearing continued.

      But will the committee’s longstanding reputation for bipartisanship continue?

More information:
Hearing video: https://bit.ly/3kPZtAu

(URLs in Set-Aside Alert have been shortened by the bit.ly URL shortener)

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