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<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="11896084" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="white-house" source="Orion">White House</keyword> called on <keyword id="11896866" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="senate" source="Orion">Senate</keyword> <keyword id="11899267" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="republicans" source="Orion">Republicans</keyword> to move a Biden nominee's confirmation forward.</li><li>Republicans have held up the Biden nominee, <keyword id="12471489" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="dilawar-syed" source="Orion">Dilawar Syed</keyword>, for various reasons.</li></ul>The White House on Tuesday urged Senate Republicans to advance President <keyword id="99719" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="joe-biden" source="Orion">Joe Biden</keyword>'s nominee to serve as deputy administrator of the <keyword id="11932022" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="small-business" source="Orion">Small Business</keyword> Administration, Dilawar Syed, whom they blocked for the fourth time last week. "As the SBA works to help small businesses build back from the devastation caused by this pandemic, we call on these Republican senators to do their job and show up and allow a vote on this qualified nominee," White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during a press briefing on Tuesday. If confirmed, Syed would become the highest-ranking official in the Biden administration who is <keyword id="12039975" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="muslim" source="Orion">Muslim</keyword>. Biden nominated Syed for the position in March, but Republicans haven't shown up to move his nomination forward. "Republicans, whose justification for opposing his nomination keeps shifting as argument after argument falls flat, continue to block a vote on his nomination," Jean-Pierre said. "If for some reason they don't believe he should be confirmed, they should just say so and vote no. Instead they are obstructing a vote from even taking place."Republicans have brought up several talking points that have delayed Syed's confirmation. They initially questioned the Small Business Administration's distribution of pandemic-relief loans to Syed's company, which it qualified for. Republicans also accused Syed of <a href="https://www.hawley.senate.gov/sites/default/files/2021-06/6.30.21%20-%20SBC%20Syed%20Letter%5b2%5d.pdf">having anti-Israel positions</a> because of his connection to an advocacy organization that's criticized Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory. But when numerous Jewish groups stepped in to defend Syed, Republicans dropped the attack. Democrats and several advocacy groups have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/republicans-continue-hateful-bigoted-blockade-of-muslim-biden-nominee-2021-11">condemned</a> the GOP move as targeting Syed based on his religion and ethnic background. "American Jewish Committee (AJC) does not normally take positions on nominees requiring Senate confirmation. However, accusations around Dilawar Syed's nomination based on his national origin or involvement in a Muslim advocacy organization are so base and unamerican that AJC is compelled to speak out," the group said in a <a href="https://www.ajc.org/news/ajc-statement-on-dilawar-syed-nomination-to-be-sba-deputy-administrator">statement</a>. In addition, Republicans have brought up policy concerns, taking issue with the SBA's pandemic-relief loans provided to Planned Parenthood branches. The <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/05/21/860410536/trump-administration-to-planned-parenthood-return-coronavirus-relief-funds">loans</a> were distributed through the Paycheck Protection Program, which was part of a coronavirus stimulus bill signed into law by former President Donald Trump in 2020. Biden extended PPP funding in March with his $1.9 trillion stimulus package.Republicans said in a statement on September 20 that they will continue to freeze Syed's nomination until the SBA recovers the loans from the Planned Parenthood affiliates. Syed, a longtime entrepreneur who is Pakistani-American, has worked with small businesses through state- and federal-level positions in California and under the Obama administration, respectively.Over 200 groups and individuals, including the right-leaning US Chamber of Commerce, have endorsed Syed's nomination, Jean-Pierre said, calling him a "qualified, uncontroversial nominee.""This is a position important for helping small businesses across the country and Dilawar has had a successful business career," Jean-Pierre said Tuesday. This report has been updated with a statement from AJC.

White House demands Republicans 'do their job' and stop 'obstructing' confirmation vote for Biden's highest-ranking Muslim nominee

<ul class="summary-list"><li>For the 4th time, Republicans boycotted a hearing for Biden's highest-ranking nominee who is <keyword id="12039975" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="muslim" source="Orion">Muslim</keyword>.</li><li>Republicans have accused <keyword id="12471489" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="dilawar-syed" source="Orion">Dilawar Syed</keyword> of anti-Semitism, a charge that leading Jewish groups have refuted.</li></ul>For the fourth time, <keyword id="12062403" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="senate-republicans" source="Orion">Senate Republicans</keyword> <a href="https://www.sbc.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=D5FB0FA0-2AFD-4069-A97E-F73E42F90818">blocked the consideration</a> of Dilawar Syed, the CEO of a healthcare AI company and President Joe Biden's <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/03/president-biden-announces-key-nominee-for-the-small-business-administration/">nominee to serve as deputy administrator of the Small Business Administration,</a> in the Senate's Small Business Committee. If confirmed, Syed would be the highest-ranking official in the federal government who is a practicing Muslim.Syed is not the only Biden nominee facing a blockade - Republican Sens. Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley have put a hold on many of the president's diplomatic and national security-related nominees as well. But this blockade, according to Senate Democrats and religious advocacy groups, is different."We're not exactly sure what they want," said Sen. Ben Cardin, the chair of the committee where Syed's nomination remains held up. "This is obstructionist, and it's very personal to Mr. Syed.""In his case, some of the arguments they've raised are... not persuasive," said Sen. Mazie Hirono, a Democratic member of the committee. The GOP blockade has held up the business of the committee for months as Republicans have boycotted several scheduled committee meetings in order to deny the committee a quorum, adding a further layer of frustration for Democrats."We can debate the issues, we can debate the person, but to deny a quorum is not fair to the small business owners who need help around the country," Sen. Jacky Rosen told Insider. Democrats have sought to highlight the need to fill the SBA position as small businesses struggle to emerge from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.But Republicans have seized on Syed's membership on the board of Emgage Action, a Muslim-American advocacy group. Hawley <a href="https://www.hawley.senate.gov/sites/default/files/2021-06/6.30.21%20-%20SBC%20Syed%20Letter%5b2%5d.pdf">spearheaded a letter</a> with other Republicans on the committee that specifically called out as "anti-Semitic" a line from <a href="https://emgageaction.org/emgage-action-calls-on-the-white-house-to-press-israel-to-halt-attacks-on-palestinians-and-policies-that-undermine-their-rights/">one of the group's press releases</a> that described Palestinians as "occupied" and Israel as "the occupier."Republicans also accused Syed of supporting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, <a href="https://www.ajc.org/news/ajc-statement-on-dilawar-syed-nomination-to-be-sba-deputy-administrator">which Syed has explicitly disavowed</a>, noting that he's "personally conducted business with Israeli companies."<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/08/11/biden-muslim-nominee-gop-blockade-503459">And POLITICO reported in August</a> that an aide to Republican Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho flagged Syed's Pakistani heritage in a June email to committee members - a detail that has no bearing on Syed's qualifications to do the job and one that both <a href="https://civilrights.org/2021/08/11/flagrant-anti-muslim-bias-weaponized-against-sba-nominee/">advocacy groups</a> and Democratic senators have highlighted as an example of the "flagrant anti-Muslim bias" animating Republican opposition to the nominee.An <a href="http://civilrightsdocs.info/pdf/policy/letters/2021/081021-Seyd-Senate-Letter.pdf">August letter to the committee</a> from the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights touted Jewish groups' support for Syed, denouncing the Republicans' boycott of the committee as "tinged with religious bigotry and xenophobia."And Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, the head of perhaps the most influential organization combatting anti-Semitism, <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-gop-crusade-again-bidens-top-muslim-nominee-says-it-all">told the Daily Beast</a> that it was "painful to see the attacks on Mr. Syed's candidacy because of his association with Emgage" and that "we need him confirmed." Senate Democrats largely concur. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer <a href="https://twitter.com/SenSchumer/status/1456314387761926148?s=20">said on Twitter</a> on Wednesday that Democrats were "fighting the Republican hateful, bigoted campaign against this nominee.""It is shameful, unacceptable, and ridiculous for Republicans to keep stalling on Mr. Syed's nomination," Schumer said on the Senate floor. "He is eminently qualified to serve in the SBA.""One could conclude that they are being very bigoted and critical," said Hirono. "But since when does that faze the Republicans in their opposition to anything?"Cardin, for his part, called the attacks "personal" and "inappropriate."Hawley told Insider on Thursday that Syed's affiliation with Emgage - which even <a href="https://emgageaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Emgage_20200312_AnnualReport_C4_2019_R6.pdf">worked with Sen. Rubio's office in 2019 on a bill to protect Uyghur human rights</a> - is a "non-starter.""Particularly in this time of heightened violence for Jewish Americans, there's no way I'm going to support somebody who has been party to anti-Israel, anti-Semitic comments," Hawley said. "No way."But when asked by Insider about the ADL's apparent endorsement of Syed, Hawley simply reiterated his position. "It's my vote, it's my responsibility," he said. Reached for comment, Rubio's office directed Insider to a <a href="https://twitter.com/SmallBizCmteGOP/status/1419667808380755969">tweet by the committee's Republicans</a> that said they won't allow a vote on Syed until the <keyword id="12393608" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="small-business-administration" source="Orion">Small Business Administration</keyword> tries to recover PPP loans given out to Planned Parenthood branches. Sen. Roger Marshall's office also flagged the issue when asked by Insider about the blockade.And Sen. Rand Paul, the committee's ranking Republican who did not sign on to Hawley's letter, <a href="https://www.courier-journal.com/story/opinion/2021/11/04/rand-paul-sets-record-straight-dilawar-syed-opinion/6263492001/">wrote in an op-ed today</a> that his opposition to voting on Syed is also related to PPP loans given to Planned Parenthood.But Senate Democrats aren't buying that rationale either."Every time we try to accommodate their requests, they move the goalposts," said Cardin, noting that Syed has "nothing to do with" Planned Parenthood.The offices of Sens. Rand Paul, Jim Risch, Tim Scott, Joni Ernst, Jim Inhofe, Todd Young, and John Kennedy - all of whom sit on the committee - did not respond to requests for comment.

'Shameful, unacceptable, and ridiculous:' Senate Republicans just blocked Biden's highest-ranking Muslim nominee for the 4th time

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Biden nominated Dilawar Syed to serve in the No. 2 post at the <keyword id="174189" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Small-Business-Administration">Small Business Administration</keyword>.</li><li>The nomination has been held up due to his association with a <keyword id="29199" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="muslim">Muslim</keyword> advocacy group that criticized Israeli policies.</li><li>Several religious advocacy groups, including Jewish groups, have denounced what they see as <keyword id="409486" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Islamophobia">Islamophobia</keyword>.</li></ul>A group of Republican senators have been stalling a Muslim-American's nomination over his ties to a Muslim advocacy group that has criticized the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/08/11/biden-muslim-nominee-gop-blockade-503459">POLITICO reported Wednesday.</a>Dilawar Syed - the CEO of a healthcare AI company and President Joe Biden's <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/03/president-biden-announces-key-nominee-for-the-small-business-administration/">nominee to serve as deputy administrator of the Small Business Administration</a> - would be the highest ranking Muslim in the Biden administration if confirmed.The senators have seized on Syed's membership on the board of Emgage Action, a Muslim-American advocacy group. Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri <a href="https://www.hawley.senate.gov/sites/default/files/2021-06/6.30.21%20-%20SBC%20Syed%20Letter%5b2%5d.pdf">spearheaded a letter</a> with other Republicans that specifically called out a line from <a href="https://emgageaction.org/emgage-action-calls-on-the-white-house-to-press-israel-to-halt-attacks-on-palestinians-and-policies-that-undermine-their-rights/">one of the group's press releases</a> that read, "this state of affairs is not a case of "both sides". Not when Palestinians are occupied and the State of <keyword id="6355882" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="israel">Israel</keyword> is the occupier.""Emgage's history of supporting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement combined with its overtly anti-Israel positions and rhetoric necessitates an additional hearing to ensure Mr. Syed's confirmation to be the second-most-powerful individual at the SBA would not jeopardize small businesses with close ties to Israeli companies or small businesses owned by Jewish Americans," said the letter.According to POLITICO, another factor stalling Syed's nomination is ​​an email from an aid to Republican Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho that noted the nominee's Pakistani roots."Until we can get some answers on that at least, then I'm not gonna vote for - I'm not gonna provide a quorum," Sen. Hawley <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/08/11/biden-muslim-nominee-gop-blockade-503459">told POLITICO</a>. "I'm shocked that they haven't withdrawn his nomination. I really am."In response, religious advocacy groups - including several Jewish groups - have defended Syed from the attacks."We are deeply concerned by the apparent anti-Muslim animus driving this unprecedented action against Dilawar Syed," wrote a coalition of organizations <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b52431a55b02cf10a3f2cdd/t/610dabdeb3e98e1d1c969360/1628285918990/Faith+Letter+of+Concern+on+anti-Muslim+bias+in+Senate+confirmation+process+8.9.21.pdf">in an August 9th letter to the committee chairs.</a> "Our constitution prohibits an ethnic or religious test for holding public office. To do so violates our nation's valued principle of religious freedom."Signatories included the Milstein Center for Interreligious Dialogue at Jewish Theological Seminary, the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and Union for Reform Judaism."It's clear that what's being used against Mr. Syed is insinuation that is trying to exploit anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim animus. And we shouldn't allow that to stand," Rabbi Jason Kimelman-Block, the deputy director of Bend the Arc Jewish Action, told POLITICO."Accusations around Dilawar Syed's nomination based on his national origin or involvement in a Muslim advocacy organization are so base and unamerican [sic] that AJC is compelled to speak out," said the <a href="https://www.ajc.org/news/ajc-statement-on-dilawar-syed-nomination-to-be-sba-deputy-administrator">American Jewish Committee in a July 7 statement.</a> The group also noted that Syed "specifically disavowed support for the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement."

Republicans are blocking a Muslim Biden nominee because an advocacy group he's associated with criticized Israel

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White House demands Republicans 'do their job' and stop 'obstructing' confirmation vote for Biden's highest-ranking Muslim nominee

Oma Seddiq

'Shameful, unacceptable, and ridiculous:' Senate Republicans just blocked Biden's highest-ranking Muslim nominee for the 4th time

Bryan Metzger

Republicans are blocking a Muslim Biden nominee because an advocacy group he's associated with criticized Israel

Bryan Metzger

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