GOP small-business chairman re-ups push for Biden to fill vacant watchdog post
Samantha-Jo Roth
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The top Republican on the House Small Business Committee sent a second letter to President Joe Biden on Friday, calling on him to nominate a replacement for a long-vacant position that advocates on behalf of small-business owners, expressing concern after an initial request in February went unanswered.
In the letter, shared first with the Washington Examiner, Chairman Roger Williams (R-TX) follows up with the White House in an attempt to urge Biden to nominate a chief counsel for advocacy at the Small Business Administration, a position that serves as an “independent voice for small businesses within the federal government.” The position also serves as a watchdog for compliance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act.
SMALL BUSINESS COMMITTEE CALLS ON BIDEN TO FILL LONG-VACANT WATCHDOG POST
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“As stated in our previous letter, the position of Chief Counsel for Advocacy has been vacant for far too long and filling the position should be a top priority of the Biden Administration,” Williams writes in the letter. “In many cases, the Office of Advocacy is the only government entity considering the impacts regulations may have on small business owners.”
The Office of Advocacy within the SBA was created by Congress in 1976. The office is led by the chief counsel, who is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The position has not been filled since Darryl DePriest left the position in January 2017. Currently, Major Clark, the deputy chief counsel for advocacy, is performing the chief counsel’s duties.
“Under President Biden, burdensome regulations have plagued small businesses,” Williams said in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner. “I hope this administration understands the importance of the SBA Office of Advocacy’s critical role through measuring the impact of regulations on Main Street.”
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“Once again, I am urging the President to nominate a qualified candidate to the post of Chief Counsel for Advocacy so our nation’s primary job creators receive the backing they deserve,” Williams added.
The agency has been operating without this position for the last six years, when Clark stepped in to take over in an acting capacity. Then-President Donald Trump nominated David Tryon in 2018, but the nomination went nowhere.