The House Small Business Committee held a hearing to discuss efforts to rebuild the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast. Members of the committee considered whether policy changes were needed to help small businesses expedite the recovery. Officials from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) testified on their agency’s efforts to help small business owners in the Hurricane Katrina disaster areas. Following their remarks, a panel of small business owners testified about the effects of Hurricane Katrina on their businesses.

The SBA provides low-interest loans to help small employers and homeowners rebuild and recover from disasters.