Chairman Williams: “American Resilience: Examining the SBA Disaster Assistance Program”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the House Committee on Small Business is holding a hearing titled "American Resilience: Examining the SBA Disaster Assistance Program."

Chairman Roger Williams' opening statement as prepared for delivery:

Welcome to today's hearing, "American Resilience: Examining the SBA Disaster Assistance Program."

I want to thank our witness, Associate Administrator Chris Stallings, for joining our hearing today to examine the SBA's disaster assistance programs.

One of the SBA's core missions is supporting America's small businesses and the men and women who keep them up and running. The SBA's disaster loan program is a vital part of that mission. It is one of the few SBA resources available to business owners and non-business owners alike.

In the aftermath of a disaster, the SBA is activated to provide low-interest loans to homeowners, renters, and businesses of all sizes to help them rebuild after devastation strikes.

Following a Presidential Disaster Declaration, the SBA coordinates through FEMA to provide disaster loans to survivors. The SBA Administrator also has the authority to provide disaster relief through a SBA-declared disaster after a formal request by a governor.

These efforts by the SBA help families rebuild after immense loss. Whether repairing a small business or a home, the SBA is a critical component of recovering after a disaster.

Unfortunately, under the Biden-Harris Administration, this program failed when Americans needed it the most.

The previous Administration was caught asleep at the wheel in the wake of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. On October 15, 2024, the SBA announced that it had exhausted funds for the disaster loan program for the first time in its over 70-year history.

Congress was blindsided by this lapse, having little more than one day's notice before the disbursement of disaster loans was suspended.

By that time, it was too late. The funding lapse lasted 68 days and caused an unnecessary delay in disbursing disaster loans. We must ensure that this never happens again and that transparency is returned to SBA disaster relief.

This failure followed years of mismanagement during the pandemic, when the SBA's COVID-era lending programs were riddled with fraud, costing taxpayers an estimated two hundred billion dollars in losses. We are still uncovering new fraud schemes to this day, including in a seemingly coordinated fraud ring in Minnesota, which the SBA is investigating.

Whether through legislation or investigations, we will protect and recover taxpayer dollars from fraudsters, as we've done through multiple bipartisan bills already this Congress. My bill, H.R. 825, the Assisting Small Businesses Not Fraudsters Act, is a critical step in holding fraudsters accountable, and I urge the Senate to quickly pass my bill, which passed 405-0 in the House.

It is a breath of fresh air to have someone with Associate Administrator Stalling's expertise and background leading the SBA's disaster assistance office. His experience as a police officer and perspective from leading state-level disaster response are invaluable as we have faced multiple disasters across the country.

I now recognize the distinguished ranking member for her opening remarks.

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