LeMieux, Landrieu, Senate Democrats Fight to Include Credit Relief for Small Businesses

Last night, United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu [D-La.], chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and Sen. George LeMieux [R-Fla.] -- along with Sens. Barbara Boxer [D-Cal.], Maria Cantwell [D-Wash.], Amy Klobuchar [D-Minn.], Jeff Merkley [D-Ore.] and Patty Murray [D-Wash., pictured] -- introduced an amendment, S. Amdt. 4500, The Small Community Business Lending Fund, designed to increase capital to small businesses struggling to access lines of credit to hire workers, improve their infrastructure, and grow their businesses.

The LeMieux-Landrieu amendment will inject $30 billion through healthy community banks into the small-business economy. This addition to the Small Business Job Creation Act of 2010 is estimated to save taxpayers $1.1 billion over 10 years.

"Like the rest of our nation, Florida’s economy needs help," said Sen. LeMieux. "Unemployment is high and Floridians want to get back to work. Small-business owners want to grow their operations and rehire workers.

"One of the biggest hurdles is the ability of businesses to secure loans or investors. This bill primes the engine for investment. It is what we need, and it will help move our economy in a positive direction."

Sen. Landrieu agreed. "Small business in America needs a champion in Washington right now," she said. "While many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle choose to hide behind partisan rhetoric, we have been working to make life a little easier for the 27 million small businesses across the country.

"Contrary to what some are saying about this lending fund, this program is not to bail out the big banks; it is for the small businesses across this country. We are simply using the healthy community banks as a conduit to get money flowing to these businesses. I appreciate Sen. LeMieux’s commitment to help small businesses, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation because it is the right thing to do."

"Small businesses are the engines of job creation, and credit is the oil to keep the engine running," Merkley noted. "The Small Business Lending Fund will help small businesses put America back to work. This amendment will give every Senator a chance to show whether they stand for small businesses and more jobs, or prefer to play politics.”

"When are we going to stand up for small businesses in America -- who have had trouble getting access to this capital, who have been penalized?" Sen. Cantwell declared in remarks on the Senate floor. "What they want to know is, if they didn’t cause this mess, how is it that when it came to the big banks, everybody said, 'Yup, here’s the opportunity for you.' Everybody said, 'Here’s the keys to the Treasury. Here’s all the money.'

"But now, when it comes to making sure that community banks are lending to small businesses, people are saying, 'No, Main Street doesn’t have the same priority as Wall Street.

"Small business is asking for an effective lending program through the community banks; that’s all they’re asking for. And we gave Wall Street a bailout -- without any terms and conditions for repayment."

"Small businesses are the heart and soul of so many of our communities, and our economy is strongest when they have the capital they need to keep their doors open and add jobs," said Sen. Murray. "This economic downturn has hit small businesses hard, and we owe it to Main Streets across America to make sure they have access to the capital they need to not only survive, but thrive."

"In an increasingly competitive global economy, it is important to ensure that small- and medium-sized businesses have access to information and tools to capitalize on potential opportunities in foreign markets," Sen. Klobuchar said. "Small businesses are the engine of job creation in this country, and by increasing exports, they can lead the way to economic recovery."

The Small Community Business Lending Fund has been endorsed by several organizations -- including the Independent Community Bankers of America, the American Bankers Association, the National Small Business Association, the National Association for the Self-Employed, Small Business Majority, the National Bankers Association, plus the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, among others.

A complete summary of the LeMieux-Landrieu Amendment can be viewed by going to: http://bit.ly/Senate4500.

SOURCES: GovTrack.us, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship
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Senate Confirms Marie Johns as SBA Deputy Administrator

Marie C. Johns [pictured], a longtime advocate for small businesses, was confirmed by unanimous consent by the U.S. Senate today as deputy administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA].

Johns, who was nominated for the post by President Barack Obama, will be the second-ranking official at SBA, with major responsibility for management, policy development and program supervision.

"I’m thrilled to welcome Marie Johns as deputy administrator of the SBA," said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. "Over the past two decades, Marie has dedicated herself to creating great opportunities for small businesses and the local community in Washington, D.C. Marie’s strong leadership will help provide small businesses with the guidance, support and tools they need to grow, create jobs and continue to drive economic recovery throughout the country."

"I am grateful to President Obama for his nomination, and it is an honor to assume the role of SBA deputy administrator," Johns said. "I am excited to join Administrator Mills and the entire SBA team to serve the interests of small businesses across this country. The SBA mission is fundamental to the economic strength of our nation; that is, give small businesses the support they need to grow and create jobs."

Johns is a managing member of L&L Consulting LLC, an organizational effectiveness and public-policy consulting practice. Previously, she served as president of Verizon Washington. Under her leadership, Verizon Washington made significant strides in maintaining the company’s financial health during tumultuous times in the telecommunications industry. Johns retired from Verizon in 2004, after 21 years of service in the telecommunications industry.

Johns has a long record of business and civic leadership. She is the former chair of the DC Chamber of Commerce; founder of the Washington, D.C., Technology Council; former chair of Leadership Greater Washington; and founding chair of the Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science [MS]².

While at Verizon Washington, Johns created the Students Educated for Economic Development Success [SEEDS] program. SEEDS prepared over 200 high-school dropouts for entry-level positions in the telecommunications industry -- many of whom were hired by small, local firms.

"Marie Johns comes to the SBA with an impeccable record of leadership and public service," noted Mary Landrieu [D-La.], chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. "At a time when this agency is undergoing enormous transformations, Marie will be an invaluable asset to Administrator Mills and her team as they continue to put small businesses at the forefront of our economic recovery. I look forward to working with Deputy Administrator Johns in her new capacity, and am glad to have her working on behalf of small businesses across the country."

Johns currently chairs the board of the Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science [MS]²; serves on the Council for Court Excellence; and is a member of the board of Girl Scouts USA, the advisory board of the DC Department of Youth Rehabilitative Services, and the women’s advisory board of the Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital [GSNC].

She earned her BS and MPA degrees from Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Trinity University in Washington, D.C. Johns has been married to Wendell Johns for 38 years.

Last month, the Small Business Committee held a confirmation hearing for the deputy administrator. To view more information from the hearing and testimony from Marie Johns, please visit: http://bit.ly/JohnsConfirmation.

GoodBiz113's Take
Once again, the Obama administration has added an extremely well-qualified candidate to its team. Our nation needs all the MVPs we can get, and Marie Johns clearly has the leadership and management acumen to keep SBA moving forward for the win-win-win good of small businesses, entrepreneurs and self-employed folks from coast to coast.

SOURCES: U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, U.S. Small Business Administration
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May 23-25: SBA's Free Forums to Address Key Small-Biz Concerns During National Small Business Week

The small-business public is encouraged to take part in this year's National Small Business Week town hall meeting and business forums, addressing key small-business concerns.

Participants will have an opportunity to exchange ideas and dialogue on relevant issues for small businesses with leading business experts during National Small Business Week, May 23-25, in Washington, D.C.

The town hall meeting and business forums are free, and will be held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Conference Center, 1330 Maryland Ave., SW, in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA] events on issues that impact small business and the economy include:
* Town Hall Meeting: "Small Business: Driving America’s Economy"
* Innovation Forum: "Turning Innovation Into Jobs"
* Exporting Forum: "Taking Your Business Global"
* Social Media Forum: "Join the Conversation"

Among this year's distinguished town hall and forum moderators and speakers:
* JJ Ramberg, MSNBC Host, "Your Business"; and Town Hall Meeting Moderator
* Sean Greene, SBA Innovation Special Adviser; and Innovation Forum Moderator
* Luz Hopewell, SBA International Tradel; and Exporting Forum Moderator
* Brian Moran, Veracle Media LLC; and Social Media Forum Moderator
* Ray LaHood, Secretary of Transportation
* Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security
* Scott Griffith, Chairman & CEO, Zipcar
* Dinesh Lathi, eBay North America Marketplace
* Stephen P. Zimba, Cbeyond
* Claire Johnson, Google
* Dale Hayes, UPS
* Angus Thomson, Intuit Grow Your Business Division
* Luther Lowe, Yelp
* Rieva Lesonsky, GrowBiz Media

2010 Schedule of SBA-Sponsored Events
May 24, 2010 -- Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Conference Center
* 10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. -- Town Hall with SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills
* 2:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. -- Innovation Forum
* 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. -- Exporting Forum
Sponsors: eBay, Cbeyond and UPS

May 25, 2010 -- Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Conference Center
* 10:30 a.m. - 11:45 p.m. -- Social Media Forum
Sponsor: Intuit

Visit http://www.NationalSmallBusinessWeek.com/ to register for forums, and for the full National Small Business Week schedule.

Live Webcasts Available
For participants who are unable to attend National Small Business Week events in Washington, D.C., the town hall meeting and business forums will be webcast live online at http://www.NationalSmallBusinessWeek.com/.

2010 Small Business Week sponsors and co-sponsors include: Sam’s Club, Visa, Ford, ADP, Raytheon, Cbeyond, UPS, Intuit, Google, eBay, AT&T, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, D&B, Verio, ASBDC, NADCO, NAGGL, NASE, NSBA, WIPP and SCORE.

To view highlights of 2009 National Small Business Week events, visit: http://bit.ly/SmallBizWeek2009.

To learn about Small Business Week events in your area, go to: http://bit.ly/SmallBizRegion.

To stay informed about SBA's efforts to simultaneously promote entrepreneurship and economic recovery, bookmark the following URL: http://bit.ly/RecoverySBA.

SOURCE: U.S. Small Business Administration
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