On the recordNovember 17, 2021
I come to the floor today to discuss what are, sadly, the harmful impacts of ongoing partisan obstruction in the Senate. Earlier today, at the Small Business Committee, our colleague, Senator Cardin, who is chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, held a business meeting--I think about the fifth one--to try to advance the nomination of Mr. Dilawar Syed to be the Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration. As we know, the Small Business Administration is a very important Agency under the best of circumstances. It does great work, but during this pandemic, for the past year, it has become absolutely indispensable as we tried to address the continuing economic impact of COVID on our small businesses. In order for it to operate effectively, in order for us to hold the Agency accountable for administering the small business relief programs that Congress has designed to pass, we have an obligation to ensure that the Small Business Administration has a fully functioning and Senate-confirmed leadership team. Unfortunately, as Senator Cardin and others witnessed just a few hours ago, Republicans, again, on the Small Business Committee--all of the Republicans on the Small Business Committee--have orchestrated a complete blockade of Mr. Syed's nomination, preventing it from even coming to the floor of the Senate for debate and consideration. And what is so confusing, Mr.…
