Senate Panel Boosts SBA Budget The Senate Appropriations Committee voted to restore funding for SBA’s 7(a) loan program and Microloan program in its fiscal 2005 appropriation for the agency. The Bush administration had proposed putting the 7(a) loan program on a pay-as-you-go basis, increasing fees paid by both borrowers and lenders. But Senate appropriators added about $70 million for the loan program, essentially matching a comparable increase earlier approved by the House. For the Microloan Program, also one targeted for extinction in the president’s budget, the committee voted to maintain current-year funding of $1.9 million for loans. The committee set SBA’s 2005 funding at around $761 million; President Bush had requested $678 million. Congress is pushing to adjourn in early October to concentrate on campaigning. It is not likely that all spending bills can be passed before the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1, leaving open the possibility of a November lame-duck session.