Today, the Committee will examine the management and performance of SBA’s Office of Credit Risk Management – otherwise known as OCRM. OCRM is responsible for conducting oversight of SBA’s lending programs and its $120 billion 7(a) and 504 loan portfolios. All of us are acutely aware that access to capital plays a vital role in the success of our nation’s 30 million small businesses. Without it, sm... Read more »
Today, the Committee will examine the management and performance of SBA’s field operations, which serve as SBA’s “boots on the ground” across the country and are vital in connecting small business owners with the resources they need to succeed. SBA’s programs and services are delivered through 68 district and 10 regional offices located across the United States and its territories. At the top of t... Read more »
Washington, D.C.— Today, the House Small Business Committee under Chairwoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) conducted oversight of the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Field Operations (OFO). The OFO oversees SBA regional and district offices that are the point of delivery for most SBA initiatives and serve as the agency’s “boots on the ground.” “SBA’s field team serves on the front line... Read more »
Washington, D.C.— Today, House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) and eight Committee Democrats sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer expressing concern over the Trump Administration’s decision to impose retaliatory tariffs on European wines, which they say will mainly hurt American small businesses. In October, the Trump Administration imposed a 2... Read more »
As the Chair of the House Small Business Committee, I see every day how innovation and invention drive entrepreneurship. An important part of how we support American inventors is through our patent system. Applying for and obtaining a patent allows small firms to gain access to capital, find licensing deals, and level the playing field with larger competitors---all of which lead to jobs and econom... Read more »
Washington, D.C.— Today, the House Small Business Committee under Chairwoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) held a hearing examining the issue of patent diversity and how a lack of diversity in the innovation process is hindering the economy and small business. Studies show that women and minorities apply and obtain patents at a rate significantly lower than their white male counterparts, effectively lock... Read more »
Washington, D.C.— Today, House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) issued the following statement after the Labor Department released its December jobs statement: “December’s weak jobs report captures the difficulties that plagued our job creators and small businesses in 2019 under President Trump’s watch. In small business-heavy sectors such as manufacturing, jobs are de... Read more »
Washington, D.C.— Today, the House Small Business Subcommittee on Innovation and Workforce Development, chaired by Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO), held a hearing examining how small businesses are driving growth in the agricultural technology (ag-tech) industry and how these technological developments are benefiting America’s small farms. “Farming and agriculture are at the heart of strong economies aroun... Read more »
Washington, D.C.— Today, the House passed two bipartisan prison reform bills authored by House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). The two bills, H.R. 5078, the Prison to Proprietorship Act and H.R. 5065, Prison to Proprietorship for Formerly Incarcerated Act would improve entrepreneurship opportunities for inca... Read more »
Washington, D.C.— Today, the House passed bipartisan reforms to improve opportunities for small businesses to be competitive in the marketplace. H.R. 5130, the Capturing All Small Businesses Act of 2019, was authored by Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX) and Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK). H.R. 5146, the Unlocking Opportunities for Small Businesses Act, was authored by Rep. Jim Hagedorn (R-MN) and Vice Chair Dwight ... Read more »
