GovernmentExecutive.com

The New York Times reports that Steven C. Preston, President Bush's choice to head the Small Business Administration, faced the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee yesterday, and pledged to come up with a way to speed the processing of loans for victims of natural disasters. He also promised to deal with declining morale at the agency, which has seen budget and staff cuts in recent years. Preston said he would tour the agency's 70 district offices and spend time with its more than 2,000 employees, because "it's tough for people to do their jobs when morale is low."