Washington, D.C. -Today, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, issued the following statement after the independent and nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued its first report on oversight of the CARES Act:
“GAO’s report provides a comprehensive and independent look at the Trump Administration’s incompetent and dangerous response to the coronavirus pandemic. GAO found that more than $1 trillion in taxpayer funds have already been obligated-including more than $1 billion to deceased individuals-with little transparency into how that money is being spent. The American people deserve to know whether those funds are being misused.
“GAO also warned about efforts by the Small Business Administration to avoid oversight-in violation of the law-which is something the Oversight Committee and several other Committees called on SBA to remedy immediately. It is imperative that the Administration cooperate now and address the new recommendations made by GAO."
On June 17, 2020, Chairwoman Maloney, Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis Chairman James E. Clyburn, Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita M. Lowey, Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia Velázquez, and Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government Chairman Mike Quigley sent a letter to SBA demanding it comply with GAO’s request for interviews, documents, and data related to actions of the SBA in addressing economic disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
