Link to Congressional Quarterly Article 

By CQ Staff

June 25, 2008 

John Kerry, D-Mass., chairman of the Senate Small Business Committee, on Wednesday said his panel would closely scrutinize President Bush’s new choice to head the Small Business Administration.

Bush announced his intention to nominate Santanu “Sandy” K. Baruah. Baruah has held numerous posts at the Commerce Department, where he is currently assistant secretary for economic development. He would replace Steven C. Preston, who is now the Housing and Urban Development secretary.

Baruah’s nomination requires Senate confirmation.

The House has passed a series of bills reauthorizing various SBA programs which have been operating under a series of short-term extensions since 2006, but the full Senate has not advanced companion legislation.

“The next administrator at the SBA must be ready to offer creative solutions for the current credit crunch, implement programs that will actually help women and minorities gain access to federal contracts and loans, and make sure that small firms have access to counseling and training to grow their businesses in this tough economic climate,” Kerry said.

Kerry and Maine’s Olympia J. Snowe, the panel’s ranking Republican, called this month for an investigation of lender oversight at the SBA after an inspector general’s report showed that poor oversight led to a loss of $329 million in its largest loan program.

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