Ernst Brings Iowans’ Voices on Small Business COVID Relief Programs to SBA Administrator

WASHINGTON—At a Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship hearing today, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a senior member of the committee, raised Iowans’ concerns about the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) COVID-19 relief programs with Isabel Guzman, Administrator of the SBA. Ernst stated how critical it is for the committee to continue working with the SBA to ensure the COVID relief programs are administered effectively and with transparency.

Click here or on the image above to watch Senator Ernst’s questioning.

Planned Parenthood Participation in PPP

Ernst noted that it’s important Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds are being directed to small businesses—not Planned Parenthood affiliates. Last month, Ernst and her colleagues requested a detailed explanation regarding how Planned Parenthood affiliates were approved for loans, as well as an explanation of the SBA’s process for ensuring entities that were determined to be ineligible for first draw loans do no not get second draw loans.

Reports of Fraud in EIDL Program

Ernst highlighted the recent reports regarding potential fraud and identify theft within the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program and asked Administrator Guzman about the SBA’s efforts to combat this fraud.

###