U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono's (D-HI) staunch and often vocal support has finally helped confirm Dilawar Syed as the Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Syed’s nomination was confirmed recently by a vote of 54-42, earning the enthusiastic approval of Hirono, a member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee.
“Mr. Syed is a highly qualified and widely-supported nominee, who has the backing of numerous business groups and organizations,” Senator Hirono said in a release from her office. “He will play a critical role in ensuring that small businesses across our country have the support they need to continue growing.”
His confirmation should have a positive impact on Hawaii, which Hirono said relies on small businesses to be successful. “This work is vital to Hawaii’s economy,” Hirono said, pointing out that more than 99% percent of the businesses in Hawaii are small businesses and nearly half of all employees in Hawaii work for small businesses. A strong, fully-staffed Small Business Administration is essential for these small businesses in my home state and millions more across the country."
Hirono supported Syed’s first nomination for the post in March 2021 before Senate Republicans blocked his confirmation.
“Despite his stellar qualifications and the importance of the SBA, for nearly two years, my Republican colleagues have blocked Mr. Syed’s nomination to serve in this important role,” Hirono said. “My Republican colleagues have, at different points, wrongly accused Mr. Syed of being anti-Israel; they’ve chastised him for utilizing legal SBA pandemic-relief loans; and raised other baseless objections to his nomination.
“But despite their baseless bluster, the facts are clear: Mr. Syed is well-qualified to serve as Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration, and his confirmation will make our economy and our country stronger.”
In a letter to President Joe Biden, Hirono called Syed an example of the American Dream. "He is a business owner, entrepreneur, and job creator who was born in Pakistan and educated in the United States," the senator wrote, per release. "Over the course of his career, Mr. Syed has founded and run several companies in the tech and healthcare sectors. He also has firsthand experience dealing with the challenges small businesses faced during this pandemic."