[House Hearing, 116 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
COMMITTEE'S BUDGET VIEWS AND ESTIMATES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021
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HEARING
before the
COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS
UNITED STATES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
HEARING HELD
MARCH 4, 2020
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Small Business Committee Document Number 116-077
Available via the GPO Website: www.govinfo.gov
______
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
39-947 WASHINGTON : 2020
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS
NYDIA VELAZQUEZ, New York, Chairwoman
ABBY FINKENAUER, Iowa
JARED GOLDEN, Maine
ANDY KIM, New Jersey
JASON CROW, Colorado
SHARICE DAVIDS, Kansas
JUDY CHU, California
MARC VEASEY, Texas
DWIGHT EVANS, Pennsylvania
BRAD SCHNEIDER, Illinois
ADRIANO ESPAILLAT, New York
ANTONIO DELGADO, New York
CHRISSY HOULAHAN, Pennsylvania
ANGIE CRAIG, Minnesota
STEVE CHABOT, Ohio, Ranking Member
AUMUA AMATA COLEMAN RADEWAGEN, American Samoa, Vice Ranking Member
TROY BALDERSON, Ohio
KEVIN HERN, Oklahoma
JIM HAGEDORN, Minnesota
PETE STAUBER, Minnesota
TIM BURCHETT, Tennessee
ROSS SPANO, Florida
JOHN JOYCE, Pennsylvania
DAN BISHOP, North Carolina
Melissa Jung, Majority Staff Director
Justin Pelletier, Majority Deputy Staff Director and Chief Counsel
Kevin Fitzpatrick, Staff Director
C O N T E N T S
OPENING STATEMENTS
Page
Hon. Nydia Velazquez............................................. 1
Hon. Steve Chabot................................................ 2
APPENDIX
Additional Material for the Record:
Committee's Views and Estimates.............................. 4
COMMITTEE'S BUDGET VIEWS AND ESTIMATES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2020
House of Representatives,
Committee on Small Business,
Washington, DC.
The Committee met, pursuant to call, at 11:19 p.m., in Room
2360, Rayburn House Office Building. Hon. Nydia Velazquez
[chairwoman of the Committee] presiding.
Present: Representatives Velazquez, Golden, Kim, Crow,
Davids, Chu, Evans, Schneider, Espaillat, Delgado, Houlahan,
Chabot, Balderson, Hern, Stauber, and Spano.
Chairwoman VELAZQUEZ. Good morning. The Small Business
Committee will come to order.
Today's order of business is to consider the views and
estimates of the Committee on Small Business for Fiscal Year
2021. These resources are a critical first step in helping
entrepreneurs launch and grow their small businesses. The
purpose of this meeting is to set our priorities and
expectations for fiscal year 2021 to ensure the Small Business
Administration has the funding necessary to modernize and
strengthen its core programs on behalf of America's
entrepreneurs.
While the economy has appeared healthy, much uncertainty
remains now with the coronavirus outbreak. Just last week, the
stock market plunged, suffering some of the worst losses since
the 2008 Financial Crisis. Small businesses throughout the
country currently face looming supply chain disruptions while
consumer confidence is diminishing.
As the virus spreads, it has the potential to significantly
dampen global economic activity both here and abroad. With the
threat to the economy, more entrepreneurs and small business
owners are looking to the Small Business Administration and its
many programs for help.
SBA core programs ensure small employers and aspiring
entrepreneurs have the counseling, financing, and access to the
federal marketplace they deserve. Ensuring this program has
robust levels of funding is operating effectively are a top
priority for the Committee.
Today's views and estimates reiterate the Committee's
longstanding position to prioritize core programs like the
Small Business Development Centers and the 7(a) Loan Program,
rather than expending critical funding on untested agency-
initiated programs.
To that end, the views and estimates, proposals, reports,
increase levels of funding for the entrepreneurial development
programs which provide free or low-cost counseling and training
to nearly 1 million entrepreneurs each year.
The Committee enacted bipartisan legislation last year to
modernize the programs and maximize their effectiveness. Fully
funding SBA's entrepreneurial development programs will
strengthen the SBA's ecosystem and allow SBA to provide
valuable counseling and training to more small businesses. We
must also ensure Main Street businesses have access to
affordable capital which plays a vital role in their success.
Affordable capital is the key to unlocking opportunities to
grow and create new jobs in the local economy, and this
proposal provides the resources and funding levels to do just
that.
Finally, we have to work together to level the playing
field in federal procurement opportunities for socially and
economically disadvantaged business owners. We can achieve this
through a greater emphasis on hiring more contracting personnel
and providing them with adequate training in order to
effectively assist small contractors competing in the $500
billion federal marketplace.
The views and estimates we are proposing will breathe new
life into the SBA. More importantly, it will provide tangible
benefits to small businesses and make sure taxpayers get a
positive return on their investment.
At this point, I will yield to the Ranking Member, Mr.
Chabot, for any comments he may have on the Committee's views
and estimates.
Mr. CHABOT. I want to first thank Chairwoman Velazquez and
her staff for again working in a bipartisan manner on the
Committee's budget views and estimates on the Small Business
Administration's fiscal year 2021 Budget. I appreciate her
willingness to work collegially as we meet our responsibilities
to America's small businesses.
The SBA and its programs can be essential to helping small
firms expand, create jobs, and grow our economy. The SBA helps
many small businesses to access capital, provides counseling
and training, and links entrepreneurs with mentors. In this
committee, it is our responsibility to provide our views and
estimates to the Committee on the budget to ensure that the
SBA's programs are working efficiently and effectively on
behalf of all small businesses all across this Nation. We must
insist that the programs are transparent and make the best use
of taxpayer dollars.
Every small business starts as an idea. America is a Nation
of creators and investors and risk-takers. Our economy was
structured to be driven by entrepreneurs, and in fact, most net
new job growth is from startups and new businesses. In fact,
about 70 percent of the new jobs created in the American
economy are created by America's small businesses.
We are fortunate to have the SBA's new administrator,
Jovita Carranza, to lead the agency into the future. She has a
distinguished record both in the private sector, as well as
having been the deputy SBA administrator under President George
W. Bush. We look forward to seeing her vision in action.
The Chairwoman and I very often agree, but there are times
when we do not fully agree. And thus, even though I will be
voting for the Committee's budget views and estimates, I will
also be offering a motion later to submit additional views and
estimates from the minority members of this Committee.
And again, I want to thank the Chairwoman for working in a
bipartisan manner with us, both staff working together very
well.
And I yield back.
Chairwoman VELAZQUEZ. The gentleman yields back. I thank
him for his remarks.
Are there any other Members who wish to be recognized for a
statement on the views and estimates of the Committee for
fiscal year 2021?
Seeing no Members, the Committee now moves to consideration
of the views and estimates.
The clerk will read the title of the document.
The CLERK. Views and estimates of the Committee on Small
Business----
Chairwoman VELAZQUEZ. I ask unanimous consent that the
views and estimates be considered as read and open for an
amendment in its entirety.
Does any Member seek recognition for the purpose of
offering an amendment?
Seeing no amendments, we will move on.
The question is on adopting the views and estimates on the
priorities of the Committee for fiscal year 2021.
All those in favor, say aye.
Those opposed, no.
In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.
The ayes have it, and the views and estimates are agreed
to.
I will now recognize the Ranking Member for the purpose of
making a motion.
Mr. CHABOT. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. And I would move
that the minority members of the Committee be permitted to file
additional views and estimates on the budget for fiscal year
2021.
Chairwoman VELAZQUEZ. Without objection, so ordered.
Mr. CHABOT. Thank you.
Chairwoman VELAZQUEZ. The Committee is authorized to make
technical and grammatical corrections to the views and
estimates.
We are adjourned and the Committee will stand in recess for
a few moments to prepare for the committee hearing. Thank you.
[Whereupon, at 11:26 a.m., the committee was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
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