The top Republican on the House Small Business Committee sent a second letter to President Joe Biden on Friday, calling on him to nominate a replacement for a long-vacant position that advocates on behalf of small-business owners, expressing concern after an initial request in February went unanswered.
In the letter, shared first with the Washington Examiner, Chairman Roger Williams follows up with the White House in an attempt to urge Biden to nominate a chief counsel for advocacy at the Small Business Administration, a position that serves as an"independent voice for small businesses within the federal government.” The position also serves as a watchdog for compliance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act.
The Office of Advocacy within the SBA was created by Congress in 1976. The office is led by the chief counsel, who is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The position has not been filled since Darryl DePriest left the position in January 2017. Currently, Major Clark, the deputy chief counsel for advocacy, is performing the chief counsel’s duties.
“Under President Biden, burdensome regulations have plagued small businesses,” Williams said in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner. “I hope this administration understands the importance of the SBA Office of Advocacy’s critical role through measuring the impact of regulations on Main Street.
The agency has been operating without this position for the last six years, when Clark stepped in to take over in an acting capacity. Then-President Donald Trump nominated David Tryon in 2018, but the nomination went nowhere.