June 22, 2020

Manchin Welcomes SBA Administrator Carranza To Morgantown, Shows EIDL, PPP Loan Impact on West Virginia Businesses

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) today welcomed Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Jovita Carranza to Morgantown to highlight the impact of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) programs on West Virginia small businesses. Senator Manchin, Administrator Carranza, Regional Administrator Steve Bulger, small businesses, banks, and economic development stakeholders discussed the need to quickly implement critical changes to make these programs work for Main Street businesses. Senator Manchin invited Administrator Carranza to visit West Virginia last week.

“I was glad to welcome SBA Administrator Carranza to Morgantown today to see firsthand the challenges West Virginia small businesses face accessing PPP and EIDL funds and the impacts these programs have had on our small businesses. I am grateful that the SBA heeded my call to make changes to their application process, but more must be done to ensure our small businesses are able to access the funds meant to help them stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Senator Manchin. “Today’s roundtable with local businesses was helpful in understanding the issues West Virginia small businesses have dealt with while trying to access the PPP and EIDL funds and how the application process can be changed to create an easier process for businesses to apply. I will keep working with Administrator Carranza to improve the PPP and EIDL application processes to ensure small businesses have better access to the funds intended to help them through this crisis.”

Senator Manchin successfully pushed for changes to the PPP process through his PPP loan deadline extension and urging Treasury and SBA to simplify the PPP loan application process.

Administrator Carranza also announced that the SBA is re-opening EIDL loan applications. Interested businesses are encouraged to visit https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options/economic-injury-disaster-loan-emergency-advance for more information.