Washington (February 6) – Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) sent a letter to the Small Business Administration (SBA) Acting Administrator Everett Woodel demanding answers about reports that the SBA granted individuals associated with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to all SBA data and payment systems. Click here to read the full letter.

In the letter, Ranking Member Markey wrote: “The SBA’s apparent complicity in this unlawful incursion and unauthorized access to the private and confidential information of millions of small businesses, homeowners, and renters nationwide who have utilized SBA’s programs — including its business loan and disaster assistance programs — is deeply troubling.”

Markey continued: “Allowing Elon Musk’s minions access to the sensitive information in the SBA’s systems raises privacy, data security, and other serious concerns.”

Last fiscal year, SBA provided $37.7 billion in loan assistance and made disaster loans to nearly 10,000 small businesses and 18,000 homeowners and renters totaling a combined $1.6 billion. During the COVID pandemic, SBA provided more than 22.1 million loans and grants to small business, totaling $1.2 trillion.