[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 172 (Thursday, November 19, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2825-E2826]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 EXPANDING ENTREPRENEURSHIP ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 18, 2009

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today in 
support of H.R. 1842, the ``Expanding Entrepreneurship Act of 2009.'' I 
would like thank my colleague, Representative Luetkemeyer, for 
introducing this act of solidarity, as well as the cosponsors.
  When people think of the American Dream, there are few things they 
are more likely to think of than opening a small business. Our 
President called them the dreamers who built this country. In his 
words, ``They're the workers who took a chance on their desire to be 
their own boss, the part-time inventors who became the full-time 
entrepreneurs, the men and women who have helped build the American 
middle class, keeping alive that most American of ideals.'' My home 
city is very much a part of this dream--according to Fortune Small 
Business magazine, Houston, Texas, is one of the five best cities in 
which to start a small business.
  That is what makes the Expanding Entrepreneurship Act such an 
important bill. It would make several changes to the Small Business 
Administration's, SBA, entrepreneurial development programs including 
establishment of planning standards, greater coordination of SBA 
programs, maintenance of an entrepreneurial development database, 
creation of an entrepreneurial development portal, and the introduction 
of community specialists to the program.
  Under this legislation, the Administrator of the SBA would be 
required to develop a job creation strategy for 2009-2010. This plan 
would include the agency's intent for using existing programs, 
including Small Business Development Centers, SBDCs, Women's Business 
Centers, WBCs, Service Corps for Retired Executives, SCORE, Veterans' 
Business Outreach Centers, Native American Outreach, and other 
appropriate initiatives, to create and retain jobs throughout the 
United States. The SBA Administrator would establish performance 
measures and criteria including job creation, job retention and job 
retaining goals, to evaluate the agency's progress in this effort.
  Also, under this act the Administrator would be required to oversee 
the coordination of SBA's Entrepreneurial Development Programs with 
other Federal agencies when it's appropriate. The Administrator would 
be required to report to Congress annually on opportunities to foster 
coordination, limit duplication, and improve Federal entrepreneurial 
development programs, without regard to the agency that houses an 
entrepreneurial outreach effort.
  To ensure easy access for entrepreneurs, a portal will be designed on 
the SBA website with links to all of the SBA's entrepreneurial 
development programs. This portal will also have links to relevant web 
content organized by industry type, stage of business, and level of 
need. A separate database of providers of entrepreneurial development 
services will also be established on the SBA's website.
  A community specialist would also be recruited to serve in every SBA 
District office. Their sole purpose would be working with

[[Page E2826]]

local entrepreneurial development service providers to improve 
coordination with Federal resources. This will make the bill especially 
helpful for minority owned businesses.
  This legislation is particularly efficient because it develops a cost 
effective way to reach a larger number of entrepreneurs in need and 
coordinates all entrepreneurial development programs eliminating 
duplication and government waste.
  That is why I am supporting this legislation--because of what it will 
do to help women, minorities, and veterans who gave the ultimate 
service to our great country to be a part of its great dream.

                          ____________________