GOP demands SBA answer for Maui fire response
Republicans Call for Briefing on SBA’s Response to Maui Fires
Republicans are requesting that the Small Business Administration (SBA) brief their committee on the department’s disaster response to the Maui, Hawaii fires.
Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas), chairman of The House Committee on Small Business, has sent a letter (pdf) pressing for clarity regarding the SBA response to the tragedy.
The fatal flames broke out on August 8, just a few days after the National Weather Service issued a warning that the combination of Hurricane Dora’s winds and drought could create conditions favorable to wildfires.
The subsequent fire completely destroyed the historic resort community of Lahaina. According to an update released by the County of Maui on August 23, 115 deaths have been verified, making this the deadliest conflagration in the United States in more than a century.
In the aftermath of the catastrophe, the precise number of missing individuals is unknown, but reports indicate that more than 1,000 people are still unaccounted for.
The fires have prompted a nationwide outpouring of sympathy, however, reports of a lackluster government response have spurred the Committee’s interest in evaluating the SBA’s disaster recovery efforts.
The letter, addressed to Isabella Casillas Guzman, Administrator of the SBA, outlines the committee’s concerns and requests for information on the agency’s efforts.
“Survivors are now navigating tremendous recovery efforts. The Small Business Administration (SBA) assists survivors mainly though [sic] disaster loans that the Agency has provided since 1953,” the chairman’s letter stated. “Unfortunately, Maui survivors are reporting a lackluster government response, and thus the Committee seeks information and requests a staff-level briefing on the SBA’s response to this tragedy.”
The agency is known to collaborate with the Resource Partner Network, which includes Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers, Veterans Business Outreach Centers, and others.
In the letter, Chairman Williams expresses the Committee’s commitment to ensuring the effective use of taxpayer-funded resources during times of crisis. The Committee’s request for a staff-level briefing and documentation aims to evaluate the SBA’s response to the Maui fires.
The requested information includes details on the SBA’s immediate response plan, average disaster loan processing times, application status updates, coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), plans for Business Recovery Centers, and the long-term strategy to aid those affected by the fires.
Additionally, the Committee seeks insights into the impact of relocating disaster loans under the Office of Capital Access and efforts to directly assist survivors without internet access.
“The Committee is keenly aware of the challenges that disaster efforts face and how the SBA helps survivors rebuild. When Americans are in need, the resources their tax dollars fund should, at minimum, work effectively,” Mr. Williams said in the letter. “The Committee is interested in ensuring that these resources are being administered properly. We therefore request a staff-level briefing on the SBA’s response to the Maui fires, as soon as possible but no later than August 31, 2023.”
The Committee chairman denoted his authorization to investigate various small business-related matters under House Rule X and stated that his committee anticipates cooperation from the Small Business Administration in addressing its inquiry.
Possible Congressional Investigation
Wednesday, U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) stated that there will likely be a congressional investigation into the federal response to the deadly wildfires.
“We saw the devastation that happened in Maui,” Mr. McCarthy said. “I’m very concerned about the response. We still have hundreds of individuals that are missing. I think there’s going to have to be a congressional investigation into the response of what happens,” Mr. McCarthy said at a briefing in Syracuse, New York.
The lawmaker went on to question how we could ”lose that many Americans in today’s age,” asking why the federal response was delayed: “The president’s response–had no com
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