US NATIONAL NEWS
White House says during an Extreme Republican Shutdown, American Small Businesses Would Lose Out on More Than $100 Million in Critical Financing Every Day
During an Extreme Republican Shutdown, American Small Businesses Would Lose Out on More Than $100 Million in Critical Financing Every Day, Florida Small Businesses would lose over $10 Million.
With just one day before the end of the fiscal year, extreme House Republicans are playing partisan games with peoples’ lives and livelihoods and marching our country toward a government shutdown that would have devastating consequences for small businesses and needlessly undermine America’s economic progress. Their partisan approach stands in stark contrast to the Senate’s bipartisan action toward keeping the government open and abiding by the bipartisan budget deal two-thirds of House Republicans voted for just four months ago.
Small Business Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, Chairwoman Barragán, Congressman Darren Soto, and Congressman Maxwell Frost hosted a press conference in Orlando to announce historic SBA Latino lending data. Photo by J Willie David, III / Florida National News
An Extreme Republican Shutdown would force the Small Business Administration (SBA) to stop processing new business loans for small businesses. Each weekday the government is shut down, hundreds of small businesses would see their 7(a) and 504 loan applications fail to move forward. That means extreme House Republicans would deny more than $100 million in critical financing to American small businesses every day. These delays can have devastating consequences for small business owners and the communities they support, including losing the ability to purchase critical real estate or equipment, losing out on business deals and opportunities, and being forced into high-interest, price-gouging loans. A shutdown would also make it harder for small businesses to access federal contracting opportunities by halting the processing of applications for nearly all government contracting programs—only months after the SBA announced that the Biden-Harris Administration had awarded a record $163 billion in contracts to small businesses in Fiscal Year 2022. And an Extreme Republican Shutdown would close SBA’s district offices, preventing more than 2,000 Americans every day from receiving assistance.
During the first two years of the Biden-Harris Administration, Americans filed more than 10.5 million applications to start new small businesses, the two strongest years on record—part of the President’s Bidenomics agenda to grow the economy from the middle out and the bottom up.
The reason this critical support for small businesses is now at risk: extreme House Republicans’ relentless efforts to slash funding for vital programs—including those that help small businesses—rather than work in a bipartisan manner to keep the government open and address emergency needs for the American people. House Republicans have turned their backs on the bipartisan budget deal that two-thirds of them voted for just a few months ago and instead proposed a continuing resolution (CR) that would make devastating cuts to programs that millions of hardworking Americans count on—including to the Small Business Administration.
Below is a state-by-state estimate of the more than $100 million in financing that small businesses would lose out on every day during an Extreme Republican Shutdown:
| State | Average Small Business Financing Delayed Each Business Day[1] |
| Alabama | $985,300 |
| Alaska | $334,000 |
| Arizona | $3,175,300 |
| Arkansas | $666,700 |
| California | $22,465,000 |
| Colorado | $3,796,100 |
| Connecticut | $1,175,000 |
| Delaware | $219,100 |
| District of Columbia | $245,100 |
| Florida | $10,331,700 |
| Georgia | $5,494,100 |
| Hawaii | $147,600 |
| Idaho | $1,136,800 |
| Illinois | $5,246,700 |
| Indiana | $2,495,600 |
| Iowa | $933,100 |
| Kansas | $791,400 |
| Kentucky | $766,600 |
| Louisiana | $1,163,300 |
| Maine | $498,600 |
| Maryland | $1,480,300 |
| Massachusetts | $2,198,500 |
| Michigan | $3,772,900 |
| Minnesota | $3,677,600 |
| Mississippi | $526,900 |
| Missouri | $2,054,600 |
| Montana | $513,200 |
| Nebraska | $764,200 |
| Nevada | $1,465,200 |
| New Hampshire | $715,200 |
| New Jersey | $3,433,800 |
| New Mexico | $616,100 |
| New York | $5,589,200 |
| North Carolina | $3,353,800 |
| North Dakota | $382,100 |
| Ohio | $4,627,400 |
| Oklahoma | $1,304,300 |
| Oregon | $1,985,400 |
| Pennsylvania | $3,963,500 |
| Rhode Island | $392,500 |
| South Carolina | $1,631,000 |
| South Dakota | $449,100 |
| Tennessee | $1,484,100 |
| Texas | $12,658,400 |
| Utah | $3,069,000 |
| Vermont | $200,400 |
| Virginia | $2,122,200 |
| Washington | $3,780,600 |
| West Virginia | $246,300 |
| Wisconsin | $3,027,800 |
| Wyoming | $268,800 |
Central Florida News
FBI Director Kash Patel Addresses Global Threats, Crime-Fighting Partnerships at International Police Conference in Orlando
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — FBI Director Kash Patel discussed bureau priorities, violent crime and cooperation across jurisdictions during the 2026 International Association of Chiefs of Police conference at the Orange County Convention Center.
The annual conference and exposition, held Oct. 24-27, brought together law enforcement professionals from the United States and abroad for training, presentations and discussions about public safety.
Patel addressed the evolving global threat environment and the importance of partnerships among federal, state, local, territorial and international law enforcement agencies confronting violent crime and transnational threats.
FBI priorities and violent crime
Violent crime enforcement was among the priorities Patel discussed during his Orlando visit.
Published coverage of his weekly update from Orlando described a broader agenda encompassing cybercrime, fraud and other investigative responsibilities. The update also highlighted cooperation among the FBI, the Justice Department and state and local authorities.
The conference provided an opportunity for bureau leadership to discuss those priorities with police executives whose agencies work alongside federal investigators.
Photo by Florida National News
Cooperation across jurisdictions
Partnerships were a central theme of Patel’s appearance, including coordination among agencies at different levels of government and cooperation with international counterparts.
Transnational investigations can involve suspects, evidence and criminal activity spanning multiple jurisdictions, requiring agencies to work across geographic and institutional boundaries.
Published coverage of Patel’s visit also reported plans for meetings with the Major Cities Chiefs Association and the IACP Board of Directors.
Patel highlights partnerships in X post
“Great to be in Orlando visiting with our brilliant law enforcement partners,” Patel wrote in a post on X about the conference.
Patel described the gathering as drawing more than 20,000 law enforcement professionals, leaders and partners. He credited cooperation with the FBI for reductions in crime.
In the post, Patel cited a 20% reduction in the national murder rate and more than 54,000 FBI violent crime arrests, which he described as a 90% increase.
The post did not specify the reporting periods or underlying datasets for those figures. The statistics were not independently verified for this article..
Global threats and local policing
The changing threat environment was another focus of Patel’s remarks, connecting the FBI’s national responsibilities with challenges facing police departments and their international partners.
The gathering offered law enforcement leaders an opportunity to discuss shared concerns, exchange professional knowledge and strengthen relationships that support investigations.
FBI Director Kash Patel, right, participates in a fireside chat with IACP President David B. Rausch during the Closing General Assembly of the 2026 International Association of Chiefs of Police conference at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Florida National News.
Training and professional development
Beyond executive presentations, the four-day conference featured educational sessions, networking opportunities and an exposition showcasing products and services for law enforcement.
Organizers identified training, networking and exhibit hall education as the conference’s three central components.
The Orlando event brought those activities together to help police leaders develop their agencies and exchange approaches to public safety.
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Florida National News Staff | News@FloridaNationalNews.com
FORT MYERS, Fla. (FNN) — President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a midterm rally in Fort Myers on Friday, Oct. 23, bringing his campaign efforts to the congressional district represented by his endorsed candidate for Florida governor, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds.
Donalds, the Republican nominee, faces Democrat David Jolly in the Nov. 3 election. If elected, Donalds would become Florida’s first Black governor, succeeding term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds speaks at a Turning Point Action event in Florida. Photo by Roman Garay / Florida National News.
Rally Set for Oct. 23
Trump’s remarks are scheduled to begin at 2 p.m., with doors opening at 10:30 a.m., according to the Republican Party’s event registration page. All times are Eastern.
Gulf Coast News reports that the rally will take place at Alico Arena at Florida Gulf Coast University. However, the official GOP registration page still lists the venue as “To Be Announced.” Attendees should check that page for confirmation and updates.
Prominent conservative figures, including Tucker Carlson, then-former President Donald Trump, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds and Megyn Kelly, rallied Republican voters during the Turning Point Action Conference at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, July 15-16, 2023.
Photo by Roman D. Garay / Florida National News.
Trump’s Endorsement Connects President to Historic Bid
Trump has endorsed Donalds, whose campaign lists the president among its prominent Republican supporters. The Fort Myers visit places Trump in Donalds’ Southwest Florida political base during the closing weeks of the election.
Following his primary victory, Donalds acknowledged Trump’s influence among Republican voters.
“Obviously, he has the strongest following of anybody in our party,” Donalds said, according to Associated Press reporting.
A Donalds victory would give Florida its first Black governor and extend Republican leadership in the governor’s office. Trump’s endorsement connects the president to that potentially historic outcome, although the rally announcement does not identify the event as exclusively supporting Donalds.
Republican Unity and Voter Turnout
Donalds called for Republicans to unite after the primary, telling supporters, “Tonight we are one united Republican Party,” according to the AP.
The Fort Myers rally will provide Trump another platform to address supporters ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The published event announcement confirms his appearance but does not list additional speakers.
