{"id":2011418,"date":"2023-08-24T21:21:02","date_gmt":"2023-08-25T01:21:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-call-for-sba-accountability-on-disaster-response-to-maui-fires\/"},"modified":"2023-08-24T21:25:59","modified_gmt":"2023-08-25T01:25:59","slug":"republicans-call-for-sba-accountability-on-disaster-response-to-maui-fires","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-call-for-sba-accountability-on-disaster-response-to-maui-fires\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP demands SBA answer for Maui fire response"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frepublicans-call-for-sba-accountability-on-disaster-response-to-maui-fires%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2011418&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div data-post-content=\"true\" class=\"post_content\" id=\"post_content\">\n<h2>Republicans Call for Briefing on SBA&#8217;s Response to Maui Fires<\/h2>\n<p>Republicans are requesting that the Small Business Administration (SBA) \u200dbrief their committee on\u200d the department&#8217;s disaster response to the Maui, Hawaii \u200bfires.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas), chairman of The House Committee on Small Business, has sent a letter (<a href=\"https:\/\/smallbusiness.house.gov\/uploadedfiles\/08.24.2023_-_letter_to_sba_re_maui_relief_efforts.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pdf<\/a>) pressing for\u2063 clarity regarding the SBA response to\u200d the tragedy.<\/p>\n<p>The fatal flames broke out\u2064 on \u2062August 8,\u2063 just a few days after \u2064the National\u2063 Weather Service issued a warning that the combination of Hurricane Dora&#8217;s\u2064 winds and drought could create conditions favorable to \u2062wildfires.<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\">\n<div class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related\u200c Stories<\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/epochtv\/maui-turning-into-political-disaster-for-democrats-push-to-use-maui-for-climate-emergency-5478927\">Maui \u200bTurning Into Political Disaster for Democrats;\u200c Push to Use Maui \u2062for Climate \u2062Emergency \u2064| Live With Josh<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">8\/23\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/many-children-likely-among-the-850-people-still-missing-in-maui-wildfires-governor-5478231\">Many \u2063Children Likely\u200c Among the 850 People Still Missing in Maui Wildfires: Governor<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">8\/22\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The subsequent fire \u200dcompletely\u200d destroyed the historic resort community\u2064 of Lahaina. According \u2064to an update released by \u200bthe County of Maui on August 23, 115\u2064 deaths have been verified, making this the deadliest conflagration\u2063 in the\u200c United States in more than\u200b a \u2064century.<\/p>\n<p>In the aftermath of the catastrophe,\u200d the precise number of missing\u2062 individuals is unknown, but reports indicate\u200d that more \u200bthan 1,000 people are still unaccounted for.<\/p>\n<p>The \u200dfires have prompted \u2063a nationwide outpouring of sympathy, however, reports of a lackluster government response\u2062 have spurred the\u200b Committee&#8217;s \u2063interest in evaluating the SBA&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-biden-energy-secretary-says-we-dont-know-fully-if-climate-change-caused-florida-building-collapse\/\" title=\"WATCH: Biden Energy Secretary Says \u2018We Don\u2019t Know Fully\u2019 If \u2018Climate Change\u2019 Caused Florida Building Collapse\">disaster recovery efforts<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The letter, addressed to Isabella Casillas Guzman, Administrator of the\u200b SBA, outlines the committee&#8217;s concerns\u200b and\u2064 requests for information on the agency&#8217;s \u200defforts.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Survivors are now navigating tremendous recovery efforts. The Small Business Administration (SBA)\u200c assists survivors mainly though\u200c [sic] disaster loans that the Agency has provided since 1953,&#8221; the chairman&#8217;s letter stated. &#8220;Unfortunately, Maui survivors are reporting a\u2062 lackluster government response, and thus the Committee\u200d seeks information \u2063and requests a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-republicans-launch-probe-into-massive-teachers-unions-influence-on-cdc-demand-communications\/\" title=\"EXCLUSIVE: Republicans Launch Probe Into Massive Teachers Union\u2019s Influence On CDC, Demand Communications\">staff-level briefing<\/a> on the\u2062 SBA\u2019s \u200bresponse to this tragedy.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The agency is known to collaborate with the Resource Partner Network, \u200bwhich includes\u200d Small \u2063Business Development Centers,\u2063 Women&#8217;s \u200bBusiness Centers, Veterans Business Outreach\u2063 Centers, and others.<\/p>\n<p>In \u200cthe letter, Chairman\u2062 Williams expresses \u200cthe Committee&#8217;s commitment to ensuring the effective\u200b use\u200d of taxpayer-funded resources during times of crisis. The Committee&#8217;s \u2064request for a staff-level briefing and\u2064 documentation aims to evaluate the\u200b SBA&#8217;s response to the Maui fires.<\/p>\n<p>The requested information includes \u2063details on the SBA&#8217;s immediate response\u200b plan, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-call-for-sba-accountability-on-disaster-response-to-maui-fires\/\" title=\"GOP demands SBA answer for Maui fire response\">average\u200d disaster loan processing times<\/a>, application\u2062 status\u200b updates, coordination with the Federal\u2064 Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), plans for Business Recovery Centers, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/british-foreign-minister-we-will-maximize-every-last-second-on-getting-the-remainder-of-citizens-out-of-afghanistan\/\" title=\"British Foreign Minister: We will maximize every last second on getting the remainder of citizens out of Afghanistan\">long-term strategy<\/a> to aid those affected by the fires.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, \u2062the Committee seeks \u2063insights into the impact of relocating disaster loans\u2063 under the Office of Capital Access and \u2064efforts to\u2063 directly assist survivors without internet access.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The Committee is keenly aware of\u200c the challenges \u2063that disaster efforts face and how the SBA helps survivors\u2062 rebuild. When \u2063Americans are in need, the resources their \u2064tax\u200c dollars fund should, \u2064at minimum, work effectively,&#8221; Mr. Williams said in the\u2063 letter. &#8220;The Committee \u200bis interested in ensuring that these resources\u2064 are \u2064being\u2064 administered properly.\u200c We therefore \u2064request a staff-level briefing on the \u2062SBA\u2019s response to the Maui fires, as soon as possible but no later than August 31, 2023.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The Committee chairman denoted his authorization to investigate various small business-related matters \u200bunder House Rule X\u200d and stated that his\u2063 committee anticipates cooperation from the Small Business Administration\u2064 in addressing its inquiry.<\/p>\n<h2>Possible Congressional Investigation<\/h2>\n<p>Wednesday,\u200b U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) stated\u2062 that there will\u200b likely be a \u200bcongressional investigation into the federal response to the \u2063deadly wildfires.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We saw the\u200b devastation that happened \u2064in Maui,&#8221; \u2064Mr. McCarthy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/mccarthy-hints-congressional-investigation-of-federal-maui-response-5479984\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019m very\u2064 concerned about \u200dthe response. We\u2062 still have hundreds of individuals that are missing. I\u2064 think there&#8217;s going\u2063 to have \u2064to be a congressional investigation into the\u200d response of what happens,&#8221; Mr. \u2063McCarthy said at a\u200b briefing in Syracuse, New York.<\/p>\n<p>The lawmaker \u2064went on \u200cto question how we could \u200c&#8221;lose that many Americans in \u2062today&#8217;s age,&#8221; asking \u200bwhy the federal response \u2062was \u200cdelayed: &#8220;The\u200d president\u2019s response\u2013had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/biden-praying-for-maui-blaze-victims-white-house-says-amid-backlash-from-earlier-no-comment-5465187\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">no com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Republicans are urging the Small Business Administration (SBA) to update them on their disaster response to the Maui, Hawaii fires. Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas), head of the House Committee on Small Business, has written a letter (pdf) seeking clarification on the SBA&#8217;s actions following the tragic incident. The deadly fires began on August 8.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1843,"featured_media":2011419,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2011418","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2011418","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1843"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2011418"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2011418\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2011419"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2011418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2011418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2011418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}