Today In Washington – October 30, 2017

Today In Washington
October 30, 2017
Source: AEO Government Relations Team, Madison Services Group

Updated: SBA Office of Advocacy Regional Roundtables
Throughout the year, the SBA Office of Advocacy has been hosting a series of Regional Regulatory Reform Roundtables across the country. The goal of these roundtables is to gather small businesses’ input about federal regulations that they find most burdensome. Today, the letter to Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Linda McMahon was released. It includes the following observations:
• Small business owners expressed concerns with what they perceive to be unnecessary requirements in System for Award Management (SAM) that are not related to their business.
• Stakeholders conveyed an increasing problem of third-party, government-sponsored entities charging high fees for validation of good business status for proposed bids on contracts.
• Some businesses would like for the eligibility of HUBZONE status to be changed to accommodate a partial overseas workforce.
• Another small business proposed a uniform single-certification process for Women Owned Small Business (WOSB), HUBZone, Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) and Service Disabled Veteran contractors.
• Some small businesses stated that SBA’s new disaster loan regulations interfere with receiving disaster funds.
• SBA loan recipients cannot take advantage of lower interest rates and refinance a home if the home was used to guarantee an SBA 7(a) loan.
You can find the full letter to Administrator McMahon here: Letter to the Honorable Linda McMahon, Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration.
Legislation
S. 2014, a bill “To Require Greater Transparency for Federal Regulatory Decisions that Impact Small Businesses,” introduced by Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA). Text for this bill is not yet available.
H.R. 4148, a bill “To Provide Disaster Relief to Small Businesses,” introduced by Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA). Text for this bill is not yet available.
Hearings
Wednesday, November 1 @ 10am: House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations – “Examining the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery Program.” 2128 Rayburn House Office Building.
Thursday, November 2 @ 10am: House Small Business Committee – “Operating or Rulemaking? A Review of SBA’s Opaque Standard Operating Procedures Process.” 2360 Rayburn House Office Building.
Friday, November 3 @ 9:15am: House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets – Securities, & Investment, “Legislative Proposals to Improve Small Businesses’ and Communities’ Access to Capital.” 2128 Rayburn House Office Building.