[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 31 (Thursday, March 11, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2709-S2710]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



  (At the request of Mr. Daschle, the following statement was ordered 
to be printed in the Record.)

           SBA EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION EXTENSION ACT OF 2004

 Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, earlier this week I introduced a 
bill, S. 2186, to keep the SBA, its two largest lending programs, the 
504 and 7(a) Loan Guarantee Programs, and the Women's Business Centers 
up and running through the remainder of this year, September 30, 2004. 
I ask that these letters of support be printed in the Record. One 
letter is from Mary Kay Hamm of Linden International based in Wayne, 
Pennsylvania, and the other is from Tjuana C. Byrd, an attorney in 
Little Rock, Arkansas, who is a member of the National Association of 
Women Business Owners. I thank them

[[Page S2710]]

and the many other small business associations that have helped us find 
solutions, demonstrating great cooperation in a difficult position, to 
help small businesses.
  The letters follow:

                                         Linden International,

                                                        Wayne, PA.
     Hon. John Kerry,
     Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Small Business and 
         Entrepreneurship, Russell Senate Office Building, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Kerry: I would greatly appreciate your support 
     of the 7a program ``rescue''. I favor the following to help 
     me and many other small businesses rebound and re-grow:
       1. Allow piggyback loans, and charge a 0.50 percent lender 
     fee.
       2. Raise lender fees by 0.10 percent.
       3. For loans under $150,000, have lenders pay the SBA the 
     0.25 percent fee that the lender now keeps for themselves.
       We all are keening for help to re-establish ourselves and 
     assure a firm foundation for the future of small businesses 
     in the US.
       Sincere thanks,
           Very truly yours,
                                                    Mary Kay Hamm,
     President and CEO.
                                  ____

                                                   March 11, 2004.
     Hon. John Kerry,
     Ranking Member, Senate Small Business Committee, Washington, 
         DC.
       Dear Senator Kerry: I am a small business owner in North 
     Little Rock, AR and a member of the National Association of 
     Women Business Owners (NAWBO). I understand that a package is 
     before the Senate Small Business Committee that may be 
     brought up as early as next week in the whole Senate 
     concerning the SBA 7(a) program.
       Absent the SBA asking Congress for additional funding, 
     NAWBO supports increasing fees on lenders as an approach to 
     adequately funding the SBA 7(a) program and lifting 
     restriction. Specifically, NAWBO would like the program to:
       Allow piggyback loans, but charge a 0.50 percent lender fee 
     for each.
       Raise lender fees by 0.10 percent.
       For loans that are under $150,000, have lenders pay the SBA 
     the 0.25 percent fee that lenders currently keep for 
     themselves. This only applies to these small loans.
       Senator Kerry, we would appreciate your support of our 
     position. Can we count on you? Thank you for your 
     consideration.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Tjuana C. Byrd,
     Attorney at Law.

                          ____________________