[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 118 (Wednesday, July 9, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S4280]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Nomination of William Briggs
Mr. President, on a second subject, as ranking member of the Senate
Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, I rise today to oppose
the nomination of William Briggs to be Deputy Administrator of the
Small Business Administration.
On April 2, the committee reported out the Briggs nomination by a
vote of 10 to 9--not one Democrat voted in support. So why, you are
asking? Why? Well, because the Trump administration is causing chaos
and cuts and confusion at SBA.
Its leadership has failed to be open and transparent with Congress
about their activities, despite promises from Administrator Loeffler
that she would be responsive to all members of the committee.
But because of this administration's utter contempt for
accountability and their shameless lack of transparency, this SBA has
failed to provide us with the information necessary to hold them
accountable and ensure small businesses are being supported.
We still do not know if SBA has sufficient staff on hand to carry out
its core programs, including disaster assistance and access to capital.
But that hasn't stopped them from proposing to cut the Agency by 33
percent.
We still don't know what grants and contracts have been terminated
because of President Trump's Executive order eliminating programs to
promote diversity and equity and inclusion.
We still don't know the extent to which DOGE staffers gained access
to confidential small business data at SBA. We still do not know which
SBA regional and district offices will be relocated or remain open to
serve small business owners, including our Springfield district office
in Massachusetts.
And we still do not know the justification for eliminating
congressionally authorized programs aimed at helping women and veterans
and small businessowners.
The SBA and Administrator Loeffler have been unable to provide
sufficient answers to any of these questions or requests. And those
questions are important because Congress must know whether our small
businesses are getting the support they need and deserve. This is the
only way to know whether the program is working before it is too late.
Unfortunately, I don't expect Mr. Briggs to stand up to this
administration and put small businesses first. In written responses to
committee Democrats, Mr. Briggs was very evasive. He consistently
deferred to the classic Trump talking points: I am not an SBA employee.
I will follow the law.
Well, we all know that this administration does anything but follow
the law, so let us be clear: If Mr. Briggs is unwilling to be
forthcoming with Democrats on the Small Business Committee during the
confirmation hearing process, how can we bet that he will be unwilling
to be transparent, and how can we not bet that he is going to become
unwilling to stand up for small businesses once he has that job?
So as a result, I urge my colleagues to vote no on this nomination
and to demand that the Trump administration provide Congress with the
information we need to hold them accountable and ensure that they are
serving our 34 million small business owners.
I can promise the American people that as the ranking member of the
Small Business Committee and the members of the committee, we will
stand--we will continue to stand and ask questions that are not being
answered by this SBA.
Mr. President, with that, I urge a ``no'' vote on the nomination that
is pending before this body.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Iowa.
Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, today the Senate will vote to advance the
nomination of Mr. William Briggs to be the Deputy Administrator of the
Small Business Administration. I strongly urge my colleagues to vote
yes in support of his nomination.
As chair of the Small Business Committee, I have had the honor of
getting to know Mr. Briggs and have seen firsthand what he is bringing
to the table. He is sharp; he is steady; and he is the right person for
the job.
Throughout the committee's rigorous nomination process, Mr. Briggs
showed up prepared. He was respectful and ready to engage. The
professionalism and seriousness with which he approached the committee
made it clear that he would be ready to lead on day one.
In fact, Mr. Briggs is no stranger to the responsibilities of SBA
leadership, having previously served as the Acting Administrator of the
Office of Capital Access.
During his nomination hearing, he emphasized how his previous work
rolling out the Paycheck Protection Program equipped him with practical
knowledge and the necessary experience to effectively root out fraud
and waste throughout the SBA.
As we continue to uncover and pursue fraud, it is critical that we
have a Deputy Administrator who can identify and evade those pitfalls
while simultaneously ensuring the Agency's day-to-day operations are
running smoothly.
Mr. Briggs has also committed to working hand in hand with SBA's
field offices to ensure that small businesses from any community,
instead of just certain demographics, can access the support that they
deserve.
This position isn't just professional for Mr. Briggs, but it is also
personal. As a former entrepreneur who ran two small businesses, he
knows what it is like to balance the books, tackle redtape, and manage
employees.
He also understands the pressures and uncertainty that so many small
business owners face every single day. The one-two punch of his
government experience and private sector entrepreneurship makes Mr.
Briggs the perfect candidate to help Administrator Loeffler make the
SBA more accountable, more efficient, more transparent, and more
focused on its core mission, which is helping America's job creators
succeed.
Let's give Main Street America someone who will fight with them and
for them.
Again, I urge all of my colleagues to support Mr. Briggs' nomination
for Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
I yield the floor.