SBA Letter with Senator Addresses.pdf - Josh Sommer

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BCC: Press Office <[email protected]>, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], "JM3 (Manchin)" <[email protected]>, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Dear Senators, past Senators, Members of the Press, and Honorable Hannibal "Mike" Ware, It would appear that the SBA, Mrs. Guzman and Mr. Rivera (et.al.) are misleading the public, again. This is in regards to this statement on the SBA website: https://www.sba.gov/article/2021/sep/09/sba-administrator-guzman-enhances- covid-economic-injury-disaster-loan-program-aid-small- businesses?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery which claims (in part): o Establishment of a 30-Day Exclusivity Window. To ensure Main Street businesses have additional time to access these funds, the SBA will implement a 30-day exclusivity window of approving and disbursing funds for loans of $500,000 or less. Approval and disbursement of loans over $500,000 will begin after the 30-day period. o ... the SBA has invested in optimized processes and increased capacity to improve the customer service experience for applicants. Directed by Administrator Guzman to swiftly and drastically enhance COVID EIDL, the revamped management team implemented new processes and performance management such as prioritizing personnel for COVID EIDL and increasing the average number of loan application decisions made. The SBA accelerated daily processing of loan increases from close to 2,000 applications to more than 37,000 applications daily. Loan officer productivity also went from 1.86 applications per day to 15 applications per day. As a result of these increased loan review rates, the 600,000+ loan increase backlog has been cleared and new applications can be processed immediately. At the same time, and to ensure taxpayer dollars are used to support businesses that need COVID EIDL funding most, the SBA has increased fraud controls and is working in collaboration with the SBA Inspector General to closely monitor the program. Please note that even Mrs. Guzman acknowledges the use of taxpayer funds for these "efforts". In other words, we are paying for the SBA's incompetence while our EIDL increase requests are simultaneously collecting dust. It is our intention to begin the process of gathering sole proprietors to Sue the SBA in accord with the Federal Tort Claims Act. Throughout the pandemic the SBA has either mislead the public, or has been so incompetent that action is needed in order to save once thriving small businesses that have been severely ravaged and are hemorrhaging due to the pandemic. This action was needed months ago, but as the SBA has continued to act in an incompetent or untrustworthy manner, action must proceed today. We understand that, as government employees, there is very little to motivate SBA leaders to perform in a satisfactory manner. After all, they have not missed a paycheck once from the public. They are paying their rent. They are paying their housekeepers. They can afford groceries. The pandemic is not the harsh reality to them that it is to the small businesses they claim to be supporting. The public needs to see that the SBA has indeed cleared the backlog of 600,000+ EIDL loan increase requests; and supply proof that they are processing more than 37,000 EIDL applications daily.