WATCH: Davids Calls for Increased Oversight of Small Business Administration
After learning of unresolved pandemic-related small business fraud cases in Kansas' Third District, Representative Sharice Davids questioned Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman during a House Small Business Committee hearing on the SBA's efforts to investigate these cases and support victims. Davids mentioned Kansans who have been targeted by bad actors and who continue to reach out to her office for assistance, including 35 Johnson County Residents who had nearly $1 million of fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) taken out in their names.
"While pandemic relief-related loan programs were successful at sustaining millions of small businesses during the pandemic, these programs also saw a high rate of fraud, including for folks at home in Kansas," said Davids. "We must hold fraudsters accountable for taking advantage of the pandemic for personal gain, while also ensuring the SBA is taking the appropriate steps to rectify deceptive loans taken out in Kansans' names."
Watch: Davids asks SBA Administrator Guzman to provide an update on SBA's anti-fraud efforts for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and EIDL programs
When nearly $1 million in fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loans were taken out in the names of Johnson County residents in 2021, Davids called on SBA to investigate these claims and pressed SBA's Inspector General to combat identity theft in the program. Davids also voted to pass two bipartisan bills to extend the statute of limitations on pandemic relief-related fraud cases, allowing more time for Kansans' cases to be resolved.
Davids' office continues their commitment to assisting constituents who have experienced issues with fraudulent loans and encourage them to call her district office at (913) 621-0832 if they need assistance reporting these claims.