Small Business Committee Hearing on Field Operations
On Wednesday the Small Business Committee held a hearing with the Small Business Administration Associate Administrator for Field Operations, Lisa Shimkat. I questioned Associate Administrator Shimkat about the closure last year of the SBA field office in Guam, which serves the CNMI as well. SBA field offices serve several important roles, including being the “boots on the ground” in delivering disaster loan assistance to small businesses after natural disasters like typhoons. Without the Guam office, the closest SBA office is in Hawaii, depriving our local banks and businesses of a vital local resource. Associate Administrator Shimkat agreed to work with me to speed up the reopening of the Guam office and to potentially add additional loan officers to it to increase capacity.
