Lankford, T. Scott, Colleagues Want to Stop Democrats’ Big Government Lending Scheme

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) along with Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and John Kennedy (R-LA), and their Republican colleagues to introduce the Protecting Access to Credit for Small Businesses Act. The bill is designed to prevent Democrats from turning the Small Business Administration (SBA) into a direct lender, which they are attempting to do in their tax-and-spend reconciliation bill.

“The Small Business Administration’s portion of the COVID relief loans under the Paycheck Protection Program and other pandemic programs turned into a paperwork and processing disaster,” said Lankford. “Banks and credit unions waited weeks for answers while the SBA bureaucracy struggled to keep up. Who in their right mind would now suggest the SBA take on an even bigger role in direct lending? With this bill, my colleagues and I are standing up against the Democrats’ latest Washington, DC, power grab that inches us one step closer to total reliance on the federal government. Financial institutions like community banks have a strong track record and partnership with the SBA for lending. It should stay that way.”

“Forcing community banks and local credit unions to compete with a massive government agency is inefficient and wrong,” said Scott. “Funneling tax dollars through the federal government in order to loan it back to small business owners with interest makes no sense. This is just another example of Democrats’ misguided plan for a big government takeover of virtually every aspect of American life and private institutions.”

“Fraud and inefficiency characterize the Small Business Administration’s history in direct lending,” said Kennedy. “The government shouldn’t encroach on a space where private lenders are already doing a good job getting funds to the small businesses that need them. I’m proud to partner with Sen. Scott to stop the SBA from replacing community and other private lenders with bureaucrats.”

Joining Lankford, T. Scott, and Kennedy to introduce the bill were Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Pat Toomey (R-PA), John Thune (R-SD), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), John Barrasso (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Steve Daines (R- MT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), John Cornyn (R-TX), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), John Boozman (R-AR), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Rick Scott (R-FL).

In October, Lankford, Scott, and several colleagues sent a letter to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and House and Senate Small Business Committee Chairs Ben Cardin and Nydia Velázquez warning against their plan to make the SBA a direct lender through the Democrats’ reckless tax and spending bill. The SBA Office of the Inspector General estimates that the federal government Economic Injury Disaster Loan program had 17 times the amount of potentially fraudulent loans than did Paycheck Protection Program loans run through financial institutions. 

The bill is supported by American Bankers Association, Consumer Bankers Association, Independent Community Bankers of America, Bank Policy Institute, Credit Union National Association, and the National Association of Federally Insured Credit Unions. 

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