SBA Administrator Loeffler’s Day One Memo: A New America First Vision for Small Business

In a sweeping announcement on her first day as the 28th Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Kelly Loeffler outlined an ambitious agenda designed to transform the SBA into an "America First engine for free enterprise." With a focus on empowering small businesses and safeguarding taxpayer dollars, Loeffler’s memo signals a dramatic shift away from bureaucratic inefficiencies and mismanagement of the previous administration.

SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler

Empowering Small Businesses

Loeffler declared that small businesses are the backbone of the American economy—driving innovation, job creation, and prosperity. Her priorities include:

• Streamlining Operations: Cutting through bureaucratic red tape to ensure SBA programs deliver real results.

• Promoting “Made in America”: Rebranding the Office of International Trade as the Office of Manufacturing and Trade to support U.S. manufacturers, rebuild American supply chains, and foster a blue-collar resurgence.

• Enhancing Customer Service: Overhauling technology and cybersecurity systems to improve the SBA’s digital interfaces and overall customer satisfaction.

Enforcing the America First Agenda

Committed to President Trump’s vision, the memo lays out several key initiatives that reinforce an America First approach:

• Implementation of Executive Orders:

  • Enforcing orders aimed at defending American values, such as ending partisan initiatives and halting DEI programs that conflict with the new priorities.

  • Pausing grants and programs that do not align with the America First philosophy, including measures that previously favored non-American interests.

• Mandating In-Person Work:

  • Requiring SBA employees to work on-site five days a week, in line with President Trump’s Return to In-Person Work memorandum.

• Relocating Regional Offices:

  • Moving offices out of sanctuary cities to more accessible, cost-effective locations that better serve Main Street across the country.

Cracking Down on Fraud and Waste

A major element of Loeffler’s memo is a zero-tolerance policy for fraud and waste within the SBA:

• Tackling Pandemic-Era Fraud:

  • With an estimated $200 billion lost to fraudulent activities during the pandemic, the SBA will form a Fraud Working Group and appoint a Fraud Czar to recover misappropriated funds.

• Financial Accountability:

  • An independent audit will be conducted to address years of mismanagement and restore the credibility of key lending programs like the SBA 7(a).

• Restoring Underwriting Standards:

  • Revising lending practices and reactivating dormant collections programs to ensure that taxpayer dollars are allocated only to eligible small businesses.

National Security and Fair Competition

In addition to promoting domestic manufacturing, the memo introduces measures aimed at protecting national interests:

• Restricting Assistance:

  • Implementing policies to bar illegal aliens and hostile foreign nationals, particularly those linked to the Chinese Communist Party, from receiving SBA aid.

• Promoting Fair Competition:

  • Returning federal contracting goals for Small Disadvantaged Businesses to statutory levels to level the playing field for all small business owners.

A New Era for the SBA

Administrator Loeffler’s memo marks a clear departure from past practices by emphasizing accountability, efficiency, and an unwavering commitment to an America First economic policy. With a focus on empowering small businesses, cutting wasteful spending, and enforcing strict measures against fraud, the SBA is poised to become a pivotal force in driving economic growth and safeguarding American interests.

As this new era unfolds, small business owners and entrepreneurs can expect a more streamlined, efficient SBA dedicated to supporting the very backbone of America’s economy. Stay tuned for further updates as these transformative policies begin to reshape the landscape of American free enterprise.