Chairman Williams Gavels in Committee on Small Business Markup

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the House Committee on Small Business is holding a full committee markup on nine bills.

Chairman Roger Williams' opening statement as prepared for delivery:

Good afternoon, and welcome everyone. Today, we will mark up nine important bills that support small businesses and reflect a consistent message that Main Street deserves a government that is transparent, accountable, and invested in its success.

As Chairman, I am proud of the work this Committee is doing to ensure that small businesses remain a key engine of the American economy, driving growth and opportunity in communities across the country.

Together with the Ranking Member, we have continued to work on legislation that reflects our commitment to rooting out fraud, strengthening oversight of SBA programs, and ensuring that small businesses have the tools and resources they need to thrive.

Several of the bills we will consider today address accountability and transparency within the SBA. Among them are bills that would impose stronger reporting and budgeting requirements on the SBA's disaster loan program, strengthen reporting requirements on COVID-era loan fraud, and ensure the SBA's certification programs are delivering for the small businesses they were designed to serve.

We will also consider legislation that ensures small businesses can fairly compete for federal contracts by codifying the Rule of Two, as well as legislation that examines the impacts of federal antitrust agencies' enforcement decisions on the small business community.

Rounding out today's markup are bills that modernize the SBA's lending practices by clarifying that the flagship 7(a) loan program covers technology and software investments, increasing oversight of the SBA's use of artificial intelligence, and examining the effectiveness of federal cyber resources for small businesses. As we continue to grow in a digital economy, we cannot let access to capital impair Main Street.

Finally, we will consider a bill to enhance awareness of healthcare coverage options through the SBA's existing outreach programs.

Small businesses employ nearly half of the American workforce and drive innovation coast to coast and all the states in between. They deserve a federal government that works as hard as they do, and this Committee has a responsibility to deliver that.

The legislation before us today is a direct reflection of that commitment.

I am proud of the bipartisan effort that has brought us to today's markup, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance meaningful legislation that empowers small businesses and strengthens the communities they serve.

With that, I yield to my friend and the distinguished Ranking Member from New York, Ms. Velázquez, for her opening remarks.

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