Alex Padilla: “I want to join Chairman Cardin in calling attention to the unacceptable obstruction by our Republican colleagues who are…”

“I want to join Chairman Cardin in calling attention to the unacceptable obstruction by our Republican colleagues who are doing nothing other than playing political games with the confirmation process. Dilawar Syed is an outstanding and highly qualified nominee to serve as Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration. Mr. Syed brings decades of experience as a business leader and entrepreneur in a number of fields. He is a dedicated public servant who helped guide President Obama's support of Asian-American small business owners in the wake of the great recession, and he has served as the founding chair of the California Entrepreneurship Task Force. He has earned support from business groups and on both sides of the aisle. Notably, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce enthusiastically announced their support for his nomination, citing his very impressive background. In June of this year, two of our Republican colleagues joined the Democratic members of the Small Business Committee and voted to send Mr. Syed's nomination to the full Senate for confirmation. But, today, Republicans are refusing to allow the Senate to vote on his nomination. In so doing, they are also obstructing the work of the SBA itself--work that has never been more critical. As the U.S.…”