The Honorable Joseph R. Biden Jr., President of the United States (April 28, 2023)

Summary

A letter dated April 28, 2023 from Roger Williams, Chairman of the House Committee on Small Business, to President Biden following up on the vacancy for Chief Counsel for Advocacy at the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy. The letter says that on February 16, 2023 the Committee wrote urging a nomination, has not received a response, and no nominee has been selected. It states the position has not been filled since the departure of Darryl L. DePriest in January 2017, and describes Advocacy as the independent voice for small business within the federal government. The letter asks for a nomination of a Chief Counsel for Advocacy as soon as possible.

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Full text

                                          April 28, 2023

The Honorable Joseph R. Biden Jr.
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear President Biden,

I write today to follow up on the vacancy for Chief Counsel for Advocacy at the Small Business
Administration’s (SBA) Office of Advocacy (Advocacy). On February 16, 2023, we wrote
urging you to nominate a Chief Counsel for this critical oversight role and to date, the
Committee has not received a response, nor have you selected a nominee for the position.

As stated in our previous letter, the position of Chief Counsel for Advocacy has been vacant for
far too long and filling the position should be a top priority of the Biden Administration. As you
are aware, this position has not been filled since the departure of Darryl L. DePriest in January
2017.1 Advocacy is the independent voice for small business within the federal government.
Advocacy serves as the federal watchdog of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) and ensures
agencies are complying with the statute. Advocacy also conducts important small business
statistical research that helps policy makers to better understand the issues confronting small
business owners.

While Advocacy has done commendable work in the past, the position of Chief Counsel is too
important to leave vacant. In many cases, the Office of Advocacy is the only government entity
considering the impacts regulations may have on small business owners. The owners of
America’s smallest businesses face significant challenges in understanding and complying with
ever changing federal regulations. Many of these small businesses do not have the resources to
hire a dedicated staff to ensure compliance with these regulations. The Chief Counsel of
Advocacy is uniquely positioned to inform agencies of these challenges.




1
 CONG. RESEARCH SERV., R43625, SBA OFFICE OF ADVOCACY: OVERVIEW, HISTORY, AND CURRENT ISSUES, 16
(Mar. 30, 2022).
The Honorable Joseph R. Biden
April 28, 2022
Page 2 of 2

I look forward to working with your Administration to streamlining and tailoring regulations to
the needs of America’s small business owners in the 118th Congress. Fulfilling your duty and
nominating a Chief Counsel for Advocacy as soon as possible will go a long way towards
achieving that goal.

                                           Sincerely,




                                      Roger Williams
                                        Chairman
                              House Committee on Small Business


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