SBA cancels Veterans Small Business Week due to shutdown

The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced Monday that it has canceled this year’s National Veterans Small Business Week (NVSBW) due to the ongoing federal government shutdown.

The 12th annual NVSBW was scheduled to take place Monday through Friday and would have honored America’s 1.6 million veteran-owned small businesses.

“By refusing to support a clean funding bill to reopen the government, Senate Democrats have frozen the majority of SBA services, including our small business loan programs and public events like National Veterans Small Business Week,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler.

Loeffler blamed Senate Democrats, who have repeatedly blocked bills intended to fund the government since the shutdown began on October 1.

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Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler accused Democrats of cutting off services to veterans during the government shutdown. (Dustin Chambers/Reuters)

She said Democrats “continue to freeze the pay of more than a million active-duty military personnel,” adding that the Trump administration is “pursuing all options” to support the military during the shutdown.

The theme of this year’s NVSBW – “Veteran-Owned, American-Made” – aimed to highlight how veteran-owned small businesses boost America’s manufacturing industry, strengthen national security and contribute more than $1 trillion in annual sales to the economy.

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In a statement, the SBA said all related events – including in-person and virtual training sessions, capital access workshops and government contracting resources – have been suspended.

“The cancellation highlights how the shutdown has disrupted services and opportunities for those who have already sacrificed so much,” the agency said.

Democratic leaders urged Republicans to begin negotiating an extension of expiring health insurance subsidies as part of efforts to reopen the government.

Senate Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have blocked the Republican Party’s plan to reopen the government at least 13 times since the shutdown began, according to the White House.

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Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said Sunday he would only negotiate once the government reopens.