Keep It Coming Worried September 11 relief has busted the SBA's budget? Congress has you covered.

The SBA was quick to come to the aid of entrepreneurs who werehurt by the terror attacks of September 11, expanding its disasterrelief efforts by starting the September 11 economic injurydisaster loan program late last October. But with the agency makingso many loans to help out disaster victims, should you be worriedthat its budget will be decimated, adversely affecting theSBA's ability to provide the guaranteed loans that many smallbusinesses rely on?

According to Mike Stamler, director of the SBA press office,there's no need for concern. "The money we are spending ondisaster relief loans is money that was specifically budgeted forthat purpose, and we have ample funds in our budgets for fiscalyear 2001, which ended September 30, and for fiscal year 2002,which began on October 1."

To meet the additional needs of the disaster loan program, theSBA received a special grant of funds from Congress. In fact,Stamler notes, "We have enough for $1.2 billion in disasterloans, and the total loaned out so far is less than $200million."