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Rep. Roger Williams lauds SBA changes, pushes access to capital and opposes mandatory vehicle 'kill switch'
Summary
In a radio interview during Small Business Week, Rep. Roger Williams, identified as chairman of the House Small Business Committee, praised SBA leadership for expanding loan access, discussed economic outlook tied to gas prices and foreign policy, and said mandatory vehicle "kill switch" tech is intrusive and should be optional.
Rep. Roger Williams, introduced on the program as chairman of the House Small Business Committee, said his panel has opened up access to capital for small firms and praised the leadership of Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler.
"She's doing a fantastic job," Williams said, adding that changes at the SBA have helped "Main Street American actually has some access to capital before they didn't." He told the host that loan limits have been raised and that increased lending translates into jobs: "We've raised a loan limit from $5,000,000 to $10,000,000 on some loans... People have access to capital, and that means access to profits, and profits mean more jobs." He also asserted that "75% of the loans are up over the Biden administration," characterizing the trend as beneficial to small businesses.
The comments were made during a conversation framed by Small Business Week and an opening question about the economic pressures facing small firms. Williams positioned small businesses as resilient: "entrepreneurs and small business owners are pretty flexible... They take the conditions they find and then make them work," he said, arguing regulators should generally "stay out of our business." He cited inventory normalization and discounting as forces that will help ease inflationary pressure for businesses and consumers.
On broader economic questions, Williams predicted energy prices would decline over the summer if international tensions ease. "I think we're gonna see gas prices down this summer... as we begin to have an exit strategy for Iran," he said, adding that visible downward trends would improve confidence among consumers and business owners.
Williams also praised recent tax and regulatory steps he described as supportive of small business and manufacturers, citing "100% expensing for manufacturing" and saying regulatory relief had helped community banks. He called a recent increase in the estate/inheritance tax threshold "a huge deal" that would protect family farms and multigenerational businesses; the specific figures were stated in the interview and are reported here as he presented them.
Toward the end of the interview the host raised concerns about proposed vehicle safety features described as a "kill switch." Williams said such technology risks undue intrusion into personal decisions and should not be mandatory. "I stand against it... That probably might should be an option as opposed to something standard," he said, referencing similar objections voiced by Rep. Chip Roy.
The interview closed with Williams offering well-wishes for Small Business Week and reiterating his view that access to capital and reduced regulatory burdens will help small businesses thrive.
The program did not include formal votes or committee actions; comments reported here are those made by Williams during the interview. Where Williams reported numeric changes or policy outcomes, the article notes them as assertions from the interview and does not independently verify the figures.
