Vern Buchanan leads charge to renew disaster funding for small businesses impacted by recent hurricanes

Vern Buchanan. Screenshot via "That's Vern." ad.

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan is heading up a contingent of 32 House members demanding that Congress replenish U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) funding for disaster loans after two hurricanes slammed Florida.

The loans were geared to businesses that were strapped in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which plowed into Florida and other states two weeks apart in late September and early October.

But those funds were exhausted, and SBA officials initially said they would no longer be able to offer assistance to those small businesses damaged by the hurricanes until Congress made more funds available. As those funds ran out, Buchanan is now leading the charge for Congress to reappropriate renewed money for the SBA.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and in times of crisis, they need our full support to rebuild and recover,” said Buchanan, a Gulf Coast Republican, in a news release Wednesday.

“The SBA’s disaster loan program is a lifeline for thousands of small businesses working to recover from recent natural disasters, and without additional funding, many will face an uncertain future. Congress must act swiftly to ensure these critical resources are available so that small businesses can continue to grow, create jobs and drive economic recovery.”

The nearly three dozen lawmakers drafted a letter and appealed to other members of Congress to take swift action to renew funding for the SBA, which distributes the money to small businesses.

“While our constituents have been resilient in the face of these catastrophic storms, they require the full support of the federal government to help them get back on their feet and help our communities and economy recover,” the lawmakers said in the letter. “Our constituents are depending on clear Congressional action and cannot afford any extended disruptions in funding for this proven and successful program.”