Washington, DC- We want to congratulate Isabel Guzman, President-elect Biden’s nominee to serve as the Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Ms. Guzman is highly qualified having served as a senior official at the SBA during the Obama administration, as deputy chief of staff to Maria Contreras-Sweet, and Director of California’s Office of the Small Business Advocate.
We also urge the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship to expeditiously schedule a confirmation hearing for Isabel Guzman.
Unfortunately, the pandemic continues to wreak havoc on entrepreneurs, their employees, and their communities and 62% of small businesses fear the worst is yet to come.[1] Main Street employers and employees are counting on leadership at the SBA to deliver on the commitments Congress made in passing the CARES Act and the Economic Aid Act.
Administrator Carranza’s successor will be expected to deliver on a newly authorized Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), administer increased funding for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) and grants, and prioritize emergency aid for disadvantaged communities. The aid provided by these critical programs will benefit from having an SBA Administrator confirmed and actively engaged as part of the President’s Cabinet.
We are grateful for the work of this Committee to address the economic suffering by Latino-owned small businesses Passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) in April provided a lifeline for millions of small businesses. We look forward to working with the Small Business Administration on last month’s enactment of the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses to provide assistance for parts of the economy that need help the most.
ABOUT THE LATINO COALITION- The Latino Coalition (TLC) was founded in 1995 by a group of Hispanic business owners from across the country to research and develop policies relevant to Latinos. TLC is a non-profit nationwide organization with offices in California, Washington, DC and Guadalajara, Mexico. Established to address policy issues that directly affect the well-being of Hispanics in the United States, TLC’s agenda is to develop initiatives and partnerships that will foster economic equivalency and enhance overall business, economic and social development for Latinos. Visit www.thelatinocoalition.com