Amodei Apologizes for His Failure to Recognize that SBA Outranks the Treasury Secretary and the White House

Statement

Congressman Mark Amodei (NV-02) today released the following statement upon learning that after nearly two weeks of exhaustive and direct efforts to allow U.S. small gaming businesses and their employees to be treated like businesses of similar sizes, also affected by COVID-19, it appears that a 25-year-old Small Business Administration (SBA) internal regulation will replace congressional intent of the CARES Act relating to participation in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP):

"The internal functionaries at the SBA are apparently answerable to no one in the nation, as they have issued an interim ruling that provides no relief for any small business gaming employee or employer. I am stunned that a nameless, faceless group of people embedded in a government agency apparently speak for the Congress, and the Executive Branch, when it comes to interpreting emergency legislation.

"The cultural arrogance at the SBA, that has apparently allowed the agency to blithely decide who Congress was attempting to help, is stunning. CARES said "yes' to all industries. Congress did not distinguish those in an industry that are large or small.

"Congratulations, SBA -- between suppliers and contractors, you've effectively added between one and two million people to the unemployment rolls. Your internal definition of rescue has successfully made about 100,000 small businesses and their supporting industries ineligible for rescue. Good thing you're not running the Coast Guard.

"While I have been told that the Administration will continue to work on this issue, the Treasury Secretary's comments today are not indicative of one who prefers not to discriminate. Presently, it looks like Congress will have to fix this in the follow-on legislation.

"I apologize to the industry in 43 states and their employees for my failure to deliver a real-time solution to an agency out of touch with the concept of economic disaster. This is all the more disappointing since there is no interest group in the nation arguing to exclude these people. Meaning, we are fighting ourselves.

"I can assure you however, that for as long as I have the responsibilities that go with this office, there will be plenty of effort and opportunity for my colleagues and I in the Legislative Branch to provide direct statutory guidance to cure the SBA's inflated view of its ridiculous and antiquated internal procedures.

"Never again should people in need of rescue during any crisis be refused the relief enacted by Congress by an agency bureaucrat."

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