WASHINGTON D.C. – Secretary of State Diego Morales testified on Tuesday at Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.
Secretary Morales was invited to testify before the House Committee on Small Business. The committee held a full hearing titled “Weaponizing Federal Resources: Exposing the SBA’s Voter Registration Efforts.” In the hearing, members examined the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) involvement in voter registration efforts (in the State of Michigan).
Business Services and Elections are two of the four divisions within the Indiana Secretary of State’s Office. In his testimony, Secretary Morales took a strong stance, explaining the roles of each division and why it is crucial that each division operate independently. He also testified that states, not the federal government, should run elections.
Under Indiana law, the National Voter Registration Act, government agencies must be designated by the state as “designated voter registration services agencies” to engage in voter registration activities lawfully. Indiana has designated (and properly trained and properly coordinates with) specific federal agencies that provide nutrition, health, housing, and disability services to clients in Indiana. The U.S. Small Business Administration does not provide any of those services to Hoosiers. The list of full-service agencies can be found in the 2024 Indiana Voter Registration Guidebook.
Secretary Morales was honored to represent Indiana in our nation’s capital.
“I certainly believe that SBA’s focus should be on its core mission of delivering services to Hoosier small businesses and not on getting involved in elections. The siphoning of resources to non-mission critical purposes, even those of good cause or well-intentioned, is a disservice to intended beneficiaries,” said Diego Morales, Indiana Secretary of State.
