Thank you, Mitt, for calling out the elephant in the room that Dems are so eager to ignore. “Well, why is it then that in the president’s budget there’s no effort to address that whatsoever?” Romney asked. “I’m aware,” Young said, acknowledging the funding threat as a problem. According to a report released by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) last month, Social Security’s funds are projected to run a shortfall in 2032, sooner than expected. Romney then asked Young if she recognized that the program’s trust fund is projected to “run out” in roughly the next decade. Young responded that “current members have well-known policies out there to cut Social Security and Medicare,” to which Romney argued, “That is simply wrong, and it’s not honest to say that to members of Congress. Members who are current-” Young began, before Romney doubled down, asking if any lawmakers has proposed cuts “in the last several months or the last year.” Have they changed their position? Maybe, but yes. “You’ve heard of proposals from a current senator or congressman currently proposing to cut benefits to Social Security?” Romney repeatedly asked Young. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.As Biden has made a point of accusing Republicans of trying to cut benefits, Romney pressed Young about whether she knew of any cuts to the program proposed by lawmakers. Lina Khan, the chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission, is also Muslim.Īssociated Press writer Seung Min Kim contributed to this report.Ĭopyright 2023 The Associated Press.

Syed is ready and willing to change the SBA’s culture and bring much-needed accountability to the agency,” Ernst said.ĭemocrats pointed out during Syed’s 2021 confirmation hearing that at the time, he was not required to disclose the loans in his nominations paperwork.

Joni Ernst, the new top Republican on the business committee, said she believes Syed was slow to disclose loans he had received and was not forthcoming enough in questioning as the committee has been concerned about potentially fraudulent pandemic loans. Republicans on the committee still have objections. Five Republicans voted to confirm him in Thursday’s final vote.

With an increased majority this year that gave Democrats an extra vote on the committee, the panel approved Syed’s nomination in March, two years after he was first nominated. Rabbi Jack Moline, then-president of Interfaith Alliance, argued at the time that the inaction was an “excuse for a lot of issues that have nothing to do with suitability for the position.” The stalemate led to Democratic charges of anti-Muslim bias and galvanized some Muslim and Jewish organizations to condemn the delay. Rand Paul - then the panel’s top Republican - gave several different explanations, including Syed’s affiliation with a Muslim advocacy group, small-business loans he received and, finally, the agency’s loans to branches of Planned Parenthood. Syed’s nomination stalled in committee last Congress after Republicans repeatedly failed to appear for votes. “It is about time we get this done,” Cardin said. Ben Cardin, a Maryland Democrat who chairs the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, said ahead of the vote that the position of deputy administrator at the SBA has been vacant for nearly five years over two presidential administrations. President Joe Biden had first nominated the Pakistani-born businessman to the position in March 2021, and he renominated him this year in the new Congress. Republicans on the Small Business Committee had blocked his nomination, citing the agency’s payouts to abortion providers and other reasons. Syed will be the highest-ranking Muslim official in the U.S. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate on Thursday confirmed Dilawar Syed as deputy administrator of the Small Business Administration, ending more than two years of delays after a blockade by Republicans in the last Congress.

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