A group of congressmen is demanding that the federal Small Business Administration require their staff to return to the office, instead of allowing them to constantly work from home.
U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo. Third District, and Mark Alford, R-Mo. Fourth District, signed onto a letter sent to SBA Administrator Isabella Guzman. The letter cites, in part, a visit by members of the U.S. House committee on Small Business to the SBA’s headquarters in Washington on December 3rd, 2023, during which they “walked past rows and rows of empty desks.”
Alford said Administrator Guzman owes the public an explanation on why she’s requesting $42 million in funding for a “nearly empty building.”
“I sincerely hope that Administrator Guzman shares her action plan on getting the SBA back to work for America’s 33 million small businesses,” Alford said.
The Small Business committee’s chair, Roger Williams of Texas, said the pandemic is over and it’s past time the SBA fully return to work.
“The SBA is tasked with one purpose – to help Main Street,” Williams said. “It’s difficult to do that effectively when you’re working from home and are more focused on making sure your laundry is washed and folded rather than ensuring the needs of our entrepreneurs are met.”
A report issued last July from the U.S. Government Accountabililty Office found that the Small Business Administration headquarters was only using 10% of its office space.
Copyright © 2024 · Missourinet