SIMBA Small Business Blog: Keep the SBA in Seattle
It’s time for Eastern Washington business owners to speak up to keep the regional office of the Small Business Administration in our region (Seattle)!
It’s easy to miss news about the Small Business Administration (SBA) in constant cycle of “breaking news” on social media, on the web, and in our group chats. And, it’s even harder to know if that news will have an immediate impact on you. For Eastern Washington small businesses, proposed changes at the SBA will impact you. Here’s what you need to know.
What is the SBA? The SBA provides lending and resources (like workshops) to small businesses across the country. This is the primary way small businesses like yours access capital like loans. SBA-backed loans are the primary source of business lending funds in our local credit unions, regional banks, and even national banks. Most local lenders will only fund small businesses through SBA lending products.
What is happening with the SBA? The most pressing matter impacting the SBA is House Bill 2931, which passed with limited bipartisan support on June 9, 2025. The bill proposes to move regional offices of the SBA from “sanctuary cities.” The bill not only will require offices to move, but it also dictates penalties - including temporary office closures, staff suspensions, and more - if an office does not move from a sanctuary city. The SBA has a federal office in D.C., and it has regional offices throughout the country, including a District Office in Seattle the supports small businesses and lending in Idaho and Washington. The Portland office also supports parts of Washington. District Offices, like the one in Seattle, offer resources to small businesses in their region - they are “boots on the ground” in the areas they serve with knowledge of the lenders, markets, and resources available to the areas they cover. Moving a District Office, or shutting down an office that does not move in a timely manner according to the proposed law, takes away small business resources, wastes SBA funds that could be used for loans and business support, and threatens small business lending options in our region. The legislation seems punitive, and it does nothing but delaying and lessening support to small businesses - including those in Eastern Washington.
What should I do? The bill is now in the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, which will decide whether the bill gets a full vote for passage. Now is the time to reach out to your Senator! Washington State Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray are likely to vote against this bill, but let them know you want to keep the SBA Offices in Seattle. Here’s a sample script:
Dear Senator: I am a business owner in (City) in Eastern Washington. I urge you and the Senate to vote against House Bill 2931, which seeks to force SBA Office to move from sanctuary cities. This is a waste of resources and time, and more importantly, it takes important funds and resources away from the small businesses the SBA is supposed to serve.
You can email Sen. Cantwell here. You can email Sen. Murray here. If you want to email members of the Senate Committee on Small Business Entrepreneurship, you can find a list of members here. Sen. Cantwell happens to be a member of that committee.
Anything else? Yes! News outlets have reported that on June 11 the D.C. Office of the SBA flew the “Appeal to Heaven” flag outside the building, right below the American Flag. The Appeal to Heaven flag is not an official flag of any U.S. State or Federal Government. It has been associated with far right movements and Christian Nationalists. The flag was removed the next day, but no explanation or reason for the flag being flown has been given. Let your Senator know that you do not believe this flag should be flown at an official government building that is supposed to support all small business owners, regardless of beliefs or values. More info on the flag flying on June 11 can be found here.
