WASHINGTON- Today, Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez, Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee, led Democratic Committee members in sending a letter to Small Business Administration (SBA) Acting Administrator Everett Woodel, urging the agency to immediately clarify the extent of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to SBA systems.
The letter follows reports that DOGE requested and has been granted access to all SBA systems, including HR, contract, and payment systems.
In the letter, the lawmakers highlight the potential threat posed by the Trump administration to critical SBA programs, the agency’s vast network of lenders and resource partners, and the private small business data held by the SBA.
“After last week’s attempt to freeze federal grant and loans, we are concerned that Musk’s followers intend to block critical SBA services from reaching our nation’s small employers,” wrote the lawmakers. “Unauthorized access to SBA’s systems hurts not just small employers but also SBA’s vast network of lenders and resource partners and will have a disastrous effect on the services provided to small businesses. Beyond the operational impact, this breach endangers the private information of small business owners, SBA resource partners, and employees.”
The Small Business Administration (SBA) helps entrepreneurs launch and grow their small businesses through several proven and time-tested programs that provide access to capital, counseling and entrepreneurial training, and disaster assistance. In FY 2024, SBA supported at least $37.7 billion in 7(a) loans, 504 loans, and microloans; counseled and trained more than 644,000 small business owners; and provided billions of dollars in loans for disaster survivors.[1]
In addition to Ranking Member Velázquez, the letter was signed by Reps. Morgan McGarvey (D-KY), Hillary Scholten (D-MI), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ), Gil Cisneros (D-CA), Kelly Morrison (D-MN), George Latimer (D-NY), Derek Tran (D-CA), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), Johnny Olszewski (D-MD), Herb Conaway (D-NJ), and Maggie Goodlander (D-NH).
View the full letter here.
