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March 6, 2014

House Committee Clears Velázquez Small Business Bills

Washington, DC – Two legislative measures authored by Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), have been approved by the House Committee on Small Business.  Velázquez, the top Democrat on the Committee, said the measures would help New York entrepreneurs grow their businesses and create good paying, local jobs.  

“With more than 190,000 small enterprises, small businesses are the backbone of New York’s economy and our most prolific job creators,” Velázquez said.  “The legislation I authored will generate new opportunity for our City’s entrepreneurs, empowering them to grow and add employees to their payrolls.” 

Velázquez’s first bill, H.R. 4121, the “Small Businesses Development Center Act”, takes steps to strengthen entrepreneurial development services offered by the Small Business Administration (SBA).   By streamlining the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program, the measure would ensure that more resources are available for Americans looking to start a new business and for existing firms seeking help expanding.   18 regional and local SBDC offices serve New York City. 

“The Small Business Administration’s network of Small Business Development Centers provides valuable guidance and technical assistance to entrepreneurs and those considering launching a new venture,” Velázquez said.  “With many New Yorkers turning to entrepreneurship as a new source of income, we need these initiatives performing at the highest level possible.”  

A second measure authored by Velázquez, H.R. 2452, the “Women's Procurement Program Equalization Act”, would allow agencies to target certain federal contracts to women-owned firms, as is already done for other disadvantaged businesses. Velazquez is the author of the Women's Procurement Program, a recently implemented initiative that has helped federal agencies boost women's participation the federal marketplace.

“Comprising 30 percent of all small businesses, women-owned enterprises are a growing force in the American economy,” Velázquez noted. “Unfortunately, too often they are locked out of the federal marketplace as the ‘old boys’ network’ games the procurement system to win lucrative federal contracts.  By helping women compete in this area, we can bring greater equality to the system and generate new opportunities for female entrepreneurs.” 

The two measures were adopted by the Committee today as part of a raft of bills updating the government’s procurement policies.  The Committee passed Velázquez’s bills by “voice vote”, suggesting strong bipartisan support for the measures. The bills will next be sent to the House floor for consideration. 

 

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