SPRINGFIELD — Calling it a “nonsensical war against small businesses,” four major Massachusetts lawmakers are slamming the Department of Government Efficiency’s decision to close the Springfield Small Business Administration office on 1 Federal St.
U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Cambridge) and Ed Markey (D-Malden) joined forces with U.S. Reps. Richard Neal (D-Springfield) and Jim McGovern (D-Worcester) to send a letter to SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler on May 28 that simultaneously shuns the closure, which went into effect June 1, and demands her to “reverse course” on the decision.
“The Department of Government Efficiency is inexplicably shuttering the Springfield, Massachusetts, district office of the Small Business Administration, leaving Western Massachusetts and the Pioneer Valley without access to vital SBA services and support,” the letter reads. “With this office closure, the Trump administration is continuing its nonsensical war against small businesses, dismantling the infrastructure that supports them and undermining the foundation of American entrepreneurship.”
According to the lawmakers, the 894-square-foot office building is a critical and convenient resource for burgeoning entrepreneurs. Not only does it help establish small business ecosystems by connecting rural, underserved and emerging markets to federal resources, lawmakers argue that the office also offers “critical guidance and expertise” on applying for SBA loans and disaster relief programs, among other services.
Without the office, small business owners will face the “tremendous burden” of having to drive to Boston for the nearest office, according to lawmakers.
“The SBA’s Springfield district office is not just a convenience for Western Massachusetts and Pioneer Valley small businesses, it is a lifeline,” the four lawmakers said. “The SBA’s physical presence in Springfield, Massachusetts, ensures that entrepreneurs in
underserved communities, particularly those in rural areas, have the resources they need to compete.”
The closure of the SBA Springfield office was part of DOGE’s decision to terminate 10 commercial leases in Massachusetts that house federal offices, thereby continuing President Donald Trump’s effort to slash the size of the federal government.
To better understand why the Springfield office closed, the four lawmakers posed 10 questions in their letter to Loeffler, including what formal justification DOGE or SBA provided for the closure of the Springfield office, and if there are any plans to relocate the Western Mass. office.
Loeffler had until May 30 to respond to the lawmakers’ inquiries, two days before the lease was officially terminated. As of press time, all remaining employees at the office had left and there were no plans to relocate the office and hire new employees.
“We urge you to stand up to DOGE, insist that it reverse course, and work to keep the Springfield district office fully staffed, open and operational,” lawmakers said.
Reminder Publishing reached out to the New England division of the SBA for comment on the closure, but did not receive one as of press time.
