Markup of Various Measures

Small Business Administration OversightHouse Small Business · March 5, 2025 · 119th Congress
The House Small Business Committee met to mark up seven bills addressing SBA programs, including career and technical education partnerships, federal contracting transparency, disability entrepreneurship, and oversight of loan agents and women-owned small business certification. Begins at ▶ 0:25:37
Transcript
Highlights

Title

House Small Business Committee markup of seven SBA bills

Purpose

The House Small Business Committee met to mark up seven bills addressing SBA programs, including career and technical education partnerships, federal contracting transparency, disability entrepreneurship, and oversight of loan agents and women-owned small business certification. Chairman Roger Williams and Ranking Member Nydia Velázquez both offered opening statements before the committee considered each bill in turn, took statements from sponsors and members, and ordered roll call votes on all seven measures. Begins at▶ 0:25:37

Who spoke

• Chairman Roger Williams (R-TX)▶ 0:25:37: Opened the markup, announced electronic voting for the first time▶ 0:25:37, criticized the Biden administration's regulatory record citing $1.8 trillion in regulatory costs and 335 million hours of paperwork▶ 0:26:37, and spoke in support of each of the seven bills before their votes, including HR 1642▶ 0:33:10, HR 789▶ 0:50:49, HR 787▶ 0:57:52, HR 1621▶ 1:07:58, HR 1634▶ 1:15:32, HR 1816▶ 1:22:36, and HR 1804▶ 1:31:42.

• Ranking Member Nydia Velázquez (D-NY)▶ 0:28:37: Disputed the chairman's characterization of the Biden economy, citing 20 million startups▶ 0:29:08; raised concerns that Elon Musk's DOGE team gained access to SBA systems including HR, contract, and payment data and that SBA employees were terminated and contracts cancelled▶ 0:30:09; spoke on each bill including HR 1642▶ 0:41:14, HR 789▶ 0:47:47, HR 787▶ 0:56:21, HR 1621▶ 1:06:27, HR 1634▶ 1:13:31, HR 1816 (as sponsor)▶ 1:17:33, and HR 1804▶ 1:29:40; also noted DEI policy terminations undermine disability employment goals▶ 1:15:02.

• Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-MD)▶ 0:34:11: Honored the late Rep. Sylvester Turner▶ 0:34:11, spoke on HR 1642 citing Maryland's 46 state-approved CTE programs and his prior $3.3 billion school improvement plan as Baltimore County Executive▶ 0:35:11.

• Rep. Derek Van Orden / "Mr. Weed"▶ 0:36:41: Spoke on HR 1642, noting Wisconsin has over 250,000 CTE students and that students taking two CTE courses graduate at a 5% higher rate than the state average▶ 0:36:41.

• Rep. "Mr. Tran"▶ 0:38:12: Spoke on HR 1642 citing skilled-trade shortages in construction and manufacturing and Coastline College in his district▶ 0:38:12; also spoke on HR 787 citing a roughly 40% decrease in small businesses contracting with government over the past decade▶ 0:54:51.

• Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-NH)▶ 0:39:12: Honored Rep. Turner, spoke in support of HR 1642 based on meetings with CTE students in New Hampshire▶ 0:39:12.

• Rep. Rob Bresnahan▶ 0:40:13: Spoke as an original co-sponsor of HR 1642, emphasizing its value for districts poised for growth▶ 0:40:13.

• Rep. "Mr. Latimer"▶ 0:43:45: Sponsor of HR 789, explained the bill would require agencies to disclose reasons for cancelling contract solicitations and help small businesses find similar opportunities▶ 0:43:45.

• Rep. "Mr. Alford"▶ 0:45:16: Co-sponsor of HR 789, honored Sylvester Turner▶ 0:45:16, said federal agencies cancel solicitations "often with no warning and no reason," leaving small businesses that spent thousands preparing bids stranded▶ 0:46:16.

• Rep. "Mr. Loda"▶ 0:52:49: Sponsor of HR 787, cited a Naval Postgraduate School study finding less than 3% of a million DoD solicitations were in plain English▶ 0:53:50, and that only 7,400 of 33 million small businesses (0.22%) secure federal prime contracts▶ 0:54:20; also sponsor of HR 1816, arguing self-certification of women-owned business status invites fraud▶ 0:20:35.

• Rep. "Mr. Stauber"▶ 1:00:54: Sponsor of HR 1621 (entrepreneurs with disabilities reporting), said the bill directs SBA to assess obstacles facing disabled entrepreneurs▶ 1:00:54; also sponsor of HR 1634, speaking as the father of a son with Down syndrome about barriers to disability employment▶ 1:10:00.

• A committee member (self-identified as having a disability)▶ 1:02:56: Spoke in support of HR 1621, stating people with disabilities pursue entrepreneurship at twice the rate of others, unemployment for those with intellectual/developmental disabilities is near 80%, and closing the disability employment gap could grow US GDP by $25 billion▶ 1:03:26▶ 1:04:26.

• A committee member from Missouri▶ 1:05:27: Spoke on HR 1621, referring to "different abilities" and the SBA/National Council on Disability memorandum of understanding▶ 1:05:27.

• Rep. "Miss Simon"▶ 1:11:30: Co-sponsor of HR 1634, praised Stauber's leadership on disability issues▶ 1:11:30.

• Rep. "Mr. Musser"▶ 1:25:37: Sponsor of HR 1804, cited SBA Inspector General findings that nearly 15% of all 7(a) loans involve a loan agent and over $335 million in documented loan agent fraud over the last decade▶ 1:26:08.

• Rep. "Ms. Mabel/Mver"▶ 1:27:08: Co-lead of HR 1804, described the 7(a) program as SBA's flagship loan program with SBA guaranteeing 50–90% of loan amounts▶ 1:28:09.

Key moments

• Chairman Williams announced the committee would use electronic voting for the first time▶ 0:25:37.

• Velázquez said DOGE gained access to SBA's HR, contract, and payment systems, hundreds of SBA employees were terminated, and small business contracts and grant funding were frozen government-wide▶ 0:30:09▶ 0:30:39.

• Loda cited a Naval Postgraduate School study finding fewer than 3% of one million DoD solicitations were written in plain English, and that only 0.22% of America's 33 million small businesses secure federal prime contracts▶ 0:53:50▶ 0:54:20.

• On HR 1816, Loda argued self-certification of women-owned business status enabled "billions of dollars in taxpayer losses" during SBA's COVID-19 lending programs and should be phased out in favor of verified certification▶ 1:21:06▶ 1:21:36.

• Velázquez countered on HR 1816 that of nearly $31 billion awarded to women-owned small businesses in FY2023, less than $2 billion (about 3%) was awarded through contracts restricted to certified WOSBs▶ 1:19:34▶ 1:20:04.

• Musser cited SBA Inspector General data showing about 15% of 7(a) loans involve a loan agent and more than $335 million in documented loan agent fraud▶ 1:26:08.

• Velázquez noted an October 2023 IG report found SBA had "made great progress" resolving loan agent oversight, closing out that management recommendation▶ 1:31:12.

• On HR 1621, a member stated closing the disability employment gap could raise US GDP by $25 billion, with unemployment near 80% among those with intellectual/developmental disabilities▶ 1:04:26.

• All seven bills were approved by roll call vote 25-0 during the reconvened session: HR 1642▶ 2:28:04, HR 789▶ 2:28:58, HR 787 as amended▶ 2:29:28, HR 1621▶ 2:30:31, HR 1634▶ 2:31:08, HR 1816▶ 2:31:47, and HR 1804▶ 2:32:26.

• The committee paused mid-markup and recessed from roughly 11:33 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. so members could attend a scheduled event▶ 1:33:43.

Metadata

CommitteeHouse Small Business
Chamber / CongressHouse · 119th Congress
DateMarch 5, 2025
TypeMeeting
Witnesses
(none listed in event metadata)
Videoyoutube
Transcript152 caption blocks · 11,240 words · 2:33:51 runtime
EventCongress.gov 117988