SBA Administrator Loeffler Terminating Firms' Minority Status, Restricting Green Card Holders in Key Policy Shifts

Kelly Loeffler serves as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, effective February 19, 2025, according to Paul Hastings Daily Financial Regulation Update from February 11, 2026. On February 11, 2026, the Small Business Administration announced it sent letters to 154 firms in Washington, D.C., terminating their economically disadvantaged status under the 8(a) program. Washington Examiner reports that SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler stated this action restores integrity to federal contracting by ending abuse and discrimination from diversity, equity, and inclusion policies under the prior administration. These firms, which received nearly 1.3 billion dollars in set-aside and sole-source contracts from fiscal 2021 through 2024, exceeded limits like personal net worth of 850,000 dollars, adjusted gross income of 400,000 dollars averaged over three years, or total assets of 6.5 million dollars. In another move, Reuters reports on February 11, 2026, that a new Small Business Administration rule, effective March 1, bars green card holders from owning any interest in businesses applying for agency-backed loans, limiting eligibility to those fully owned by United States citizens or nationals residing principally in the United States. This rescinds prior guidance allowing up to five percent foreign ownership. President Donald J. Trump announced on February 12, 2026, that Linda McMahon, now United States Secretary of Education effective March 3, 2025, will lead a presidential delegation to the closing ceremony of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, on February 22. White House statement notes Kelly Loeffler as a delegation member alongside business leaders and an Olympic medalist. Earlier, on February 6, 2026, United States Department of Agriculture press releases highlight Loeffler joining Secretary Brooke L. Rollins and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin in a Newsweek opinion piece on President Trump's support for farmers and small businesses. Listeners, thank you for tuning in. Please subscribe for more updates. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. For more http://www.quietplease.ai Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.