[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 102 (Thursday, July 9, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1689]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      ENHANCING SMALL BUSINESS RESEARCH AND INNOVATION ACT OF 2009

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                               speech of

                           HON. HARRY TEAGUE

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 8, 2009

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2965) to 
     amend the Small Business Act with respect to the Small 
     Business Innovation Research Program and the Small Business 
     Technology Transfer Program, and for other purposes:

  Mr. TEAGUE. Mr. Chair, I rise today to express serious concerns with 
H.R. 2965, the Enhancing Small Business Research and Innovation Act of 
2009. H.R. 2965 is a reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation 
Research (SBIR) program. SBIR provides $26 million in research and 
development funding for companies in my home state of New Mexico every 
year. Over the past six years, that amounts to over $160 million in 
funding, creating jobs and wealth across the state.
  Rather than extending a successful program and changing it to fit the 
shifting needs of American small businesses, however, I worry that the 
reauthorization proposed in this bill will open the program to 
businesses that aren't actually so small or actually in need of 
capital. I hesitate to change a law that is meant to provide an 
opportunity for small businesses to grow and prosper in such a way that 
would allow big venture capital firms access to our precious tax 
dollars. Small businesses are the foundation of our economy, and we 
should not jeopardize their access to this valuable program.
  When this bill was being considered by the Rules Committee, an 
amendment was offered that would have ensured that the focus of the 
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program remained on assisting 
small businesses. The amendment struck a sensible balance between the 
need to modernize eligibility guidelines for the program and protecting 
the participation of small businesses. The amendment, however, was not 
made in order.
  Without setting these limits on the participation of venture capital 
in the SBIR program, small businesses without significant or any 
venture capital participation could potentially be crowded out of the 
program. We need to keep the ``small business'' in SBIR.

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