[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 27, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H400-H401]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ADDITIONAL TEMPORARY EXTENSION OF SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS
Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 4508) to provide for an additional temporary extension
of programs under the Small Business Act and the Small Business
Investment Act of 1958, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4508
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. ADDITIONAL TEMPORARY EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION OF
PROGRAMS UNDER THE SMALL BUSINESS ACT AND THE
SMALL BUSINESS INVESTMENT ACT OF 1958.
(a) In General.--Section 1 of the Act entitled ``An Act to
extend temporarily certain authorities of the Small Business
Administration'', approved October 10, 2006 (Public Law 109-
316; 120 Stat. 1742), as most recently amended by section 1
of Public Law 111-89 (123 Stat. 2975), is amended by striking
``January 31, 2010'' each place it appears and inserting
``April 30, 2010''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a)
shall take effect on January 30, 2010.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
New York (Ms. Velazquez) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.
[[Page H401]]
General Leave
Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from New York?
There was no objection.
Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
As we work to foster job growth, small businesses will be central to
the equation. Time and again, when Americans face economic uncertainty,
they respond with innovative ideas and new ventures. While larger
companies are slower to reverse the trend and start hiring again, small
firms are often more nimble and can lead us out of downturns more
quickly.
{time} 1215
For many dislocated workers, starting a new business can help pay the
bills and even launch a new career. However, for entrepreneurs to
fulfill their traditional role as job creators, they need the right
tools.
The legislation before us today will extend programs at the SBA that
help new businesses form and existing firms grow. This bill extends
some of the agency's most valuable efforts. Reauthorizing certain
capital access programs will help small businesses survive the credit
crunch.
Earlier this year, the House passed legislation to strengthen those
initiatives. We have also approved bills reauthorizing the Small
Business Innovation Research initiative. However, before these measures
are updated, they will have to be extended.
H.R. 4508 ensures these programs continue operating as we keep
working with the Senate to fully update them. This bill is not a
comprehensive reauthorization, but it does represent another step
toward a more suitable solution.
Given the valuable role that small businesses play in our economy, we
cannot afford any of the SBA services to lapse. I, therefore, urge my
colleagues to vote ``yes.''
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GRAVES. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the
chairwoman's request to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 4508. The bill
is straightforward, and it's a clean extension that prolongs the
authorization of all programs authorized by the Small Business Act,
Small Business Investment Act, and any program operated by the Small
Business Administration for which Congress has already appropriated the
funds. This extension is going to last until April 30, 2010. This
legislation is essential because authorization for various programs
operated by the SBA expire on January 31 of this year.
Over the past 3 years, our committee has worked in a bipartisan
fashion, reported out a number of bills to reauthorize and extend
programs operated by the SBA. Despite our efforts to come to terms with
the Senate over the broader reauthorization, the extension passed late
last year will expire before the legislative process can run its
course. Without enactment of this extension, a vital number of programs
that the SBA operates would cease to function. Given the continued
importance that small businesses play in the revitalization of the
American economy, we simply cannot allow the SBA authorizations to run
out.
The work needed to help America's entrepreneurs revitalize the
economy simply cannot be accomplished within the time frame outlined in
the current legislation. We not only need to reauthorize these critical
programs, but also update them to respond to new economic conditions.
The extra time contained in this legislation allows us to fully explore
and implement the ideas that will give our Nation's entrepreneurs the
tools they need to be successful.
Passage of this legislation will enable the House and the Senate to
continually work in a conscientious manner to address the necessary
changes to SBA programs. I urge all my colleagues to suspend the rules
and pass H.R. 4508.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume
to Mr. David Wu from Oregon.
Mr. WU. Madam Speaker, I rise in somewhat reluctant support of this
legislation which temporarily, among other things, extends the Small
Business Innovative Research and Small Business Technology Transfer
programs. The truth is that we should have reauthorized these programs
long ago, and we should not be dragging this process out. But that is
not a problem that we have in this Chamber. It is very, very important
because SBIR and STTR are innovation programs which invest in small
businesses, the ones best positioned to drive economic growth and to
create new jobs.
Innovation is the key to resuscitating our ailing economy and to
creating good, family-wage jobs for the American middle class. By
investing in innovation, SBIR and STTR create more than good-paying
jobs; they encourage the development of growth industries. And that,
Madam Speaker, is what our Nation needs most.
AMGEN, Apple, Microsoft, and Research In Motion all started out as
cutting-edge small businesses. These creative, high-tech companies
spurred new industries, new jobs, new technologies that now employ
hundreds of thousands of Americans.
By facilitating creative renewal, SBIR and STTR are not only helping
guide our economy out of a recession, they are building our Nation's
capacity to thrive in a very competitive global economy. SBIR and STTR
have a proven track record of over 25 years' success in creating good-
paying jobs in high-growth industries, and we must continue our
commitment to these programs and reauthorize them immediately.
But we cannot continue to fuel the 21st century economy with 20th
century programs. We must modernize SBIR and STTR so that they can meet
their potential as innovation catalysts. Some of these improvements are
simple, like making awards more reflective of today's technology
development costs. Others, like ensuring that our most innovative
companies are eligible for public investments regardless of their
capital structure, require a more nuanced approach.
The Science and Technology Committee and the Small Business
Committee, led by my colleague Chairwoman Velazquez, have been working
hard with our Senate colleagues to strike the right balance for these
improvements. We're not there yet, but I am confident that we will get
there. In the meantime, we must pass today's temporary extension.
Madam Speaker, I urge support of this bill and its swift passage.
Mr. GRAVES. Madam Speaker, I would like to associate myself with the
words of the gentleman from Oregon. It's not this Chamber's fault that
we have to pass an extension. The reauthorization should be finished by
now. I want to thank the chairwoman for all of her work in the
committee and the work that we've been able to accomplish so far in the
committee.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4508.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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