Former SBA chief under Obama scolds Nancy Pelosi for stalling bill on small business relief

Karen G. Mills, the former chief of the Small Business Administration during the Obama presidency, said Democrats should stop stalling on refunding a program to help businesses hurt by the shutdown from the coronavirus pandemic.

The rescue loan program provides money to small businesses but it quickly ran out of funding after only a few days and Republicans want to refund it to provide more relief to the economy.

Democrats have been stalling in order to make other demands to the legislation.

Mills said she told House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other Democrats directly to join Republicans and fund the program quickly.

"Congress has to act as soon as possible," Mills said in an interview with CQ Roll Call. "What I'm saying is: Number one, get the money replenished."

Democrats want to add provisions in the bill to send $150 billion to the states, $100 billion to hospitals, and $60 billion for lenders including community development financial institutions.

Mills said it's simply not the time for such add-ons.

"Complexity is not our friend here," she said. "Things that have to be implemented quickly can't have a lot of bells and whistles, or else there will be too many unintended consequences — one of which is delay. And we don't have time to delay."

Pelosi and the Democrats have been lambasted by Republicans for stalling a program during such a destructive economic disaster.

Here's more about the economic relief program: