News

POUGHKEEPSIE, August 10, 2006 – U.S. Congresswoman Sue Kelly today held a small business forum in Dutchess County to give local chambers of commerce and small business owners the opportunity to interact with the new leader of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Kelly, a senior member of the House Small Business Committee, brought SBA Administrator Steven Preston to the Hudson Valley to meet with members of the local small business community to hear their views on various issues, learn more about the challenges they face, and answer their questions.

Preston was sworn in as the new head of the SBA one month ago today on July 10. The SBA provides loans, information, and other assistance to small businesses nationwide.

“Small business owners here today should be able to count on an active and helpful Small Business Administration in Washington to help support your efforts to grow your businesses and create new jobs in our area,” Kelly said. “And I believe that is what Administrator Preston is committed to ensuring during his tenure as head of the SBA. His coming here to meet directly with you – just one month after being sworn into his new post – demonstrates a desire to work closely with small businesses and provide you with the support you need.”

At the beginning of the forum, U.S. Chamber of Commerce representatives presented Kelly with a Spirit of Enterprise Award in recognition of her pro-small business voting record in 2005.

Kelly discussed the legislative components of her 5-point agenda in Congress to help small businesses in the Hudson Valley and across the country. Kelly has been pushing her five objectives to help local small businesses throughout this legislative year. She detailed the plan to local small business owners during a January visit to the Poughkeepsie Chamber, and today updated attendees on its progress.

“My 5-point small business agenda in Congress focuses on increasing federal efforts to help small businesses,” Kelly said. “This is crucial to creating more new jobs in the Hudson Valley and throughout the country. We must continue federal efforts to eliminate unnecessary regulatory burdens on small business owners, and to provide more affordable health insurance and more tax relief for local small businesses. Everyone here today needs to be able to keep more of their own money to improve their businesses and hire new workers.”

Kelly’s five objectives in Congress to help small businesses are: 1) lower health insurance costs for small businesses; 2) stop excessive and redundant federal regulations on small businesses; 3) level the playing field for small businesses; 4) permanently end the death tax; and 5) continue tax relief for small businesses to help them grow and create new jobs.

Kelly has introduced bills in Congress to address each of these areas. She said that she is optimistic that the only component of her 5-point plan that has not yet passed the House: the Cut Unnecessary Regulatory Burden (CURB) for Small Businesses Act, will be voted on when Congress returns to session in September.