[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 100 (Wednesday, June 20, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1358]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   SBA VETERANS' PROGRAMS ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. PETER WELCH

                               of vermont

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 18, 2007

  Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2366, 
the SBA Veterans' Programs Act of 2007. This legislation will assist 
our soldiers when they return home with opportunities and information 
about starting a small business.
  More than a million and a half men and women have answered the call 
to serve their country since 2001. They interrupted their careers, put 
their families economic security at risk, and face big personal 
challenges upon returning home.
  I recently visited Iraq and Afghanistan. That trip gave me an even 
greater appreciation for the significant sacrifices our soldiers must 
make and must cope with for the rest of their lives. If our soldiers 
faced mortal danger every day abroad, let us help them have economic 
security when they return home.
  It isn't just the veteran who makes the sacrifice, their families do 
as well: their parents, their spouses, their children, girlfriends and 
boyfriends and siblings. They give up so much in defense of our 
country.
  It is our job, as Members of Congress, to make sure that our Nation 
lives up to its commitment to our veterans. It is a simple pact we have 
made with our troops--and one we are obligated to fulfill: after they 
have sacrificed to serve our country on the battlefield, we must do all 
we can to serve them here at home. The cost of any war must include 
caring for the warrior.
  This legislation helps our veterans get started with business 
opportunities in their communities. It does so by providing grants, 
information services, and personal assistance to help veterans evaluate 
business opportunities; increasing the number of veteran business 
outreach centers around the country, and encouraging further assistance 
to women veterans.
  Countless soldiers are returning from their tours of duty with new 
confidence and skills developed during their time in the military. This 
SBA program will help to ensure that those new abilities are put to 
good use when they return to civilian life.
  This bill because it is the right thing to do for those who have 
given so much but also because it will directly impact Vermont and 
every state around the country. Ninety-seven percent of all Vermont 
firms are small businesses. My office has been involved in helping the 
Vermont Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) run business 
readiness classes for veterans. The Vermont SBDC is the primary small 
business assistance resource sought out by small business clients, 
lenders, government agencies and other economic development partners. 
The Vermont SBDC is the keystone in a statewide business assistance 
infrastructure tying together all appropriate resources and serving as 
a ``one-stop'' gateway and clearinghouse to serve small businesses' '' 
needs. Drawing on collaborative relationships among service providers, 
Vermont SBDC leverages economic development resources of all kinds for 
advancement of small businesses, growing the local economy.
  Roughly 6 percent of deployed soldiers have small businesses 
depending on them. Veterans face a number of unique challenges, from 
increasing lengths and number of deployments overseas, to translating 
their military experience into business ventures. Yet, there is a lack 
of substantive programs to help these businesses survive through 
deployment, and to assist veterans returning home. This program is 
designed to meet current, real-time needs of people on active duty in 
business who now need to leave for protracted periods, or for those who 
have just come back and really ``need'' to do something new with their 
lives.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 2366.

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