[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 3]
[House]
[Pages 3379-3380]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 TEMPORARY EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION OF PROGRAMS UNDER SMALL BUSINESS 
             ACT AND SMALL BUSINESS INVESTMENT ACT OF 1958

  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in 
the Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 434) to provide for an 
additional temporary extension of programs under the Small Business Act 
and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 through December 31, 
2007, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Senate amendments:
       Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

     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), is amended by striking ``February 2, 
     2007'' each place it appears and inserting ``July 31, 2007''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
     shall take effect on February 2, 2007.

[[Page 3380]]

       Amend the title so as to read: ``An Act to provide for an 
     additional temporary extension of programs under the Small 
     Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 
     through July 31, 2007, and for other purposes''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
New York (Ms. Velazquez) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, today we will consider H.R. 434 as it came back to us 
from the Senate. This bill extends the authorization of the Small 
Business Administration and its programs through July 31, 2007. This 
short-term extension will ensure entrepreneurs continue to have access 
to the programs at the SBA that are designed to stimulate job creation 
and economic development throughout the United States.
  Small businesses rely heavily on the SBA and its programs to start 
and run their ventures. As the sole Federal agency charged with 
assisting this Nation's 26 million small businesses, it is critical 
that the SBA is able to meet their needs.
  While the original bill would have extended the agency until December 
31, 2007, we will support this bill in order to ensure the agency's 
programs can operate through the end of July with no disruptions. As 
such, we move to pass H.R. 434 today.
  I look forward to working with Ranking Member Steve Chabot to draft a 
bipartisan bill that will ensure the SBA can adequately and efficiently 
respond to the needs of entrepreneurs. Our Nation's main job creators, 
small businesses, deserve nothing less.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume.
  This bill simply, as the chairwoman indicated, extends all the 
programs, including pilot programs, the authorities or provisions of 
the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act as they 
are presently constituted until July 31 of this year. The programs and 
authorities of the Small Business Administration expired on February 2. 
We would have preferred a longer extension, but the other body insisted 
on a shorter extension date of July 31.
  Passage of this bill will hopefully give the Small Business 
Committees in both the House and the Senate the time necessary to work 
in a bipartisan manner on a more comprehensive SBA reauthorization 
bill.
  Many of the programs of the SBA do not operate under a direct 
appropriation. This legislation will reaffirm their legality to 
operate, including the Advisory Committee on Veterans Business Affairs.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill is quite simple. It contains the exact same 
language, with only the date changed, that passed the House last month 
by an overwhelming vote of 413-2.
  Again, I look forward to working in a bipartisan manner with 
Chairwoman Velazquez and other committee members to produce a good, 
fiscally responsible SBA reauthorization bill that can eventually be 
signed into law by the President. I especially want to thank Chairwoman 
Velazquez for her graciousness in agreeing to bring up this bill in 
such a quick manner.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 434 with the Senate amendments 
so that our Nation's small businesses will see no interruption of 
service from the SBA over the next 5 months while we work to adopt a 
comprehensive reauthorization bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers at this time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of 
H.R. 434, the Short Term Extension of the Small Business 
Administration, SBA, as amended by the Senate. H.R. 434 will provide 
for additional temporary extension through July 31, 2007, of programs 
under the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 
1958. This very important extension is crucial to the success of many 
small businesses across the country. Our entire Nation's economy relies 
on the success of small businesses.
  Mr. Speaker, small businesses represent more than the American 
dream--they represent the American economy. Small businesses account 
for 95 percent of all employers, create half of our gross domestic 
product, and provide three out of four new jobs in this country.
  Small business growth means economic growth for the Nation. But to 
keep this segment of our economy thriving, entrepreneurs need access to 
loans. Through loans, small business owners can expand their 
businesses, hire more workers and provide more goods and services. The 
Small Business Administration, SBA, a Federal organization that aids 
small businesses with loan and development programs, is a key provider 
of support to small businesses. The SBA's main loan program accounts 
for 30 percent of all long-term small business borrowing in America.
  Recently, my colleagues and I were able to restore funding to the 
SBA's main loan program for small businesses for 2005. And I am 
confident that we will continue to protect loan programs that will 
create and expand American small businesses. I have worked fervently 
and will continue to work to make sure small businesses have access to 
loans. These loans contribute greatly to the viability of many of these 
small businesses.
  Providing loans for small businesses has also played a role in 
``Rebuilding the Gulf Coast'' contracting opportunities. As of March 6, 
2006, the Small Business Administration there have been: 55 Disaster 
Home Loans approved for $727,000; 27 Disaster Business Loans approved 
for $1,750,800; 17 Disaster Economic Injury Loans approved for 
$750,100; and 99 Total Disaster Loans approved for $3,227,900.
  In my own district, small businesses are vital to our economy. That 
is why I have worked to introduce minority, women, and small business 
owners to contracting officials at NASA to help promote and develop 
Houston small businesses.
  Mr. Speaker, I have worked hard to help small business owners to 
fully realize their potential. That is why I support entrepreneurial 
development programs, including the Small Business Development Center 
and Women's Business Center programs. These initiatives provide 
counseling in a variety of critical areas, including business plan 
development, finance, and marketing.
  I also support investing in the highly successful Manufacturing 
Extension Partnership, MEP, Program, which offers services to help 
small U.S. manufacturers stay competitive. These measures are important 
to keeping jobs here at home, and helping American small business 
prosper.
  Small business owners are leaders in innovation, creative business 
operations and new technologies and products. I urge my colleagues to 
join me in support of the extension of the Small Business 
Administration.
  Mr. CHABOT. We also have no further speakers, and we yield back the 
balance of our 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 concur in the Senate amendments to the bill, H.R. 434.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the Senate amendments were concurred in.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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