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Nominees Briggs, Mulligan Tell Senator They Will Prioritize Rural Small Businesses
Summary
During a hearing segment, two nominees discussed how their prior SBA service and plans for the Office of Advocacy would support small and rural businesses. Speakers emphasized listening to local businesses and using prior agency experience for disaster response and outreach.
Two nominees, identified in the transcript as Briggs and Mulligan, told a senator that they would prioritize support for small and rural businesses if confirmed.
A senator (name not specified) opened by stressing the economic importance of small businesses and asked Briggs how his prior time at the U.S. Small Business Administration would serve him "at the highest level." Briggs responded that he "had the privilege to travel your state 3 times on Office of Capital Access Business" and that he served "at the SBA at probably the most crucial time in the agency's history outside of its founding," saying the agency "was stretched to its limit." He added that his experience provided operational knowledge and "tremendous external relationships" and cited a willingness to work with the committee on both sides on disaster response and related issues to "better serve American small businesses." (Briggs, role/title not specified)
The senator also asked Mulligan how he would support rural economies. Mulligan described outreach and listening as central to his approach, saying the Office of Advocacy has historically "been to West Virginia to visit the small businesses where they are" and that the office's role is to "listen, and then come back to Washington" to relay small-business concerns to policymakers. He noted the use of in-person visits and virtual meetings to gather input. (Mulligan, role/title not specified)
The senator framed the discussion by referencing his prior experience as governor of West Virginia for eight years and emphasized that getting "the economics right" is a top priority so government can do more for residents. The nominees repeatedly underscored outreach to rural businesses and the importance of translating local knowledge into Washington-level policy consideration.
There were no formal motions, votes, or directives recorded in the provided transcript excerpt. The exchange focused on nominees' backgrounds, outreach plans for rural small businesses, and disaster-response coordination.
Briggs noted specific prior activity in the state, including three trips tied to the Office of Capital Access, and described his prior SBA tenure as an intensive, formative period. Mulligan emphasized the Office of Advocacy's listening role and said it would relay on-the-ground concerns from farmers and other small-business owners to Washington policymakers.
The session included brief affirmations from the senator about holding nominees accountable to their commitments. No additional budget, statutory citations, or implementation timelines were specified in the excerpt.
