WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Ed Case joined Congressional delegates from Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa in a letter to U.S. Small Business Administration administrator Isabel Guzman calling for enhanced budgeting and staffing for SBA’s Hawaii District Office.

What You Need To Know

  • The SBA's Hawaii District Office serves an area that includes Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau and the Republic of the Marshall Islands
  • The lawmakers noted that while the Hawaii office has a higher employee-to-population ratio than other SBA district offices, "the office still encounters significant staffing constraints and logistical barriers due to its extensive geographic area of responsibility"
  • The lawmakers said the lack of SBA presence negatively impacts the small businesses throughout the Pacific. For example, they wrote, the lack of certified banks and microlenders in Northern Mariana Islands, Guam and American Samoa is a barrier to federal contracting and small business lending
  • Joining Case in the letter were House delegates Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen of American Samoa, Gregorio Sablam on the Northern Mariana Islands and James Moylan of Guam

The district office serves an area that includes Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

The lawmakers noted that while the Hawaii office has a higher employee-to-population ratio than other SBA district offices, “the office still encounters significant staffing constraints and logistical barriers due to its extensive geographic area of responsibility.”

“Providing effective service to the approximately 2,131 islands across 8,609 square miles under the Hawaii District Office’s jurisdiction necessitates significant budgetary and staffing investments well above and beyond what is required of other SBA district offices,” they wrote.

The lawmakers said the lack of SBA presence negatively impacts the small businesses throughout the Pacific. For example, they wrote, the lack of certified banks and microlenders in Northern Mariana Islands, Guam and American Samoa is a barrier to federal contracting and small business lending. They said direct interaction with SBA employees is necessary for overcoming these challenges.

The group said greater SBA investment is also necessary for improved disaster preparedness and mitigation. They cited the Maui wildfires, Typhoon Mawar in Guam and Typhoon Yutu in the Northern Marianas as recent examples of the need for SBA presence and responsiveness.

“For example, the absence of on-island SBA personnel during the Maui wildfires severely hindered disaster assistance efforts, highlighting deficiencies in both staffing and communication,” they wrote.

The lawmakers forwarded Guzman a list of recommendations and asked the administrator to respond by Sept. 30 on SBA’s ability to act on them. The recommendations include increasing permanent staffing, enhancing travel budgets, appointing liaison officers to improve cultural sensitivity and community engagement; expanding lending and disaster assistance; and providing additional assistance to the Freely Associated States.

Joining Case in the letter were House delegates Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen of American Samoa, Gregorio Sablam on the Northern Mariana Islands and James Moylan of Guam.

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.