Hillary Clinton Is Our True Small-Business Champion

“When my dad ran his small printing business -- he printed drapery fabrics in Chicago -- it put food on the table; it gave us a good, solid, middle-class home and lifestyle. And I don’t think it’s old-fashioned to say that’s what I want for every family that wants to work for that here in our country today.” -- Hillary Clinton [May 22, 2015]

As our 45th U.S. President, Hillary
Clinton will make America work for
everyone -- including SMBs.

Today is Super Tuesday, a critical day in the 2016 presidential campaign. More than a dozen states are voting today -- some in primaries, some in caucuses -- and the results may not be known for quite a while. A total of 1,460 delegates are up for grabs -- 865 for Democrats, 595 for Republicans.

After nearly five years, I'm jump-starting GoodBiz113 to declare my unequivocal support for Hillary Clinton. She's clearly the most qualified candidate -- from either side of the political aisle -- to fight for current and would-be small-business owners, entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, inventors, artists, writers and, well, everyone else, too. She truly cares about leveling the playing field for America's short- and long-term economic future.

In brief, here's what Hillary Clinton will do for small businesses:

* Give small businesses more access to the financing and new markets they need to grow and hire.

* Launch a national effort to cut the red tape holding small businesses and entrepreneurs back.

* Provide targeted tax relief for small businesses, and simplify tax filing.

Here are more in-depth details of how Hillary Clinton will make it easier to start and grow a small business in America:

* Unlocking access to capital. Hillary Clinton is committed to giving small businesses -- and, in particular, women- and minority-owned small businesses -- access to the financing they need to build, grow and hire. She will ease unnecessary regulatory burdens on community banks, which provide credit to small-business owners and families looking to invest in their futures. She will support innovative new financing modes, like impact investing. And she will double support for community development financial institutions and the successful State Small Business Credit Initiative [SSBCI], which offer crucial sources of support for small businesses across the country -- particularly, in underserved communities.

* Cutting red tape. It shouldn’t take longer to start a small business in the United States than it does in Canada, France or South Korea. Hillary Clinton will launch a nationwide effort to cut red tape for small businesses at every level of government. Plus, she will build a regulatory road map to help small businesses navigate the regulatory landscape and reduce compliance costs associated with federal, state and local regulation.

* Providing tax relief. America’s smallest businesses -- i.e., those with one to five employees -- spend 150 hours and $1,100 per employee to comply with federal taxes. That’s more than 20 times higher than the average for larger firms. Hillary Clinton will simplify tax filing and provide targeted tax relief for small businesses -- not the big corporations that can well afford lawyers and lobbyists.

* Tapping new markets. Every small business across America should be able to enter new markets -- whether they’re across town or across the world. Hillary Clinton will invest in the roads, bridges, ports and airports that make it easier for small businesses to reach new customers. She will defend the Export-Import Bank, a crucial financing partner for small businesses across America, and help the bank expand its small-business programs. And she will encourage innovations -- e.g., Etsy and eBay -- that are unlocking new markets through innovative, new platforms that let small businesses sell anywhere in America and the world.

* Supporting small-business owners and entrepreneurs. Hillary Clinton will work to provide incubators, mentoring and training to 50,000 entrepreneurs and small-business owners in underserved communities across the country. Plus, she will support the development of entrepreneurial skills among young people -- even kids in high school -- so they can increase both their financial and entrepreneurial literacy. These programs will help those with good ideas today become the entrepreneurs and business leaders of tomorrow.

The upshot: While other candidates speak in vague, pie-in-the-sky generalities of what they'd do in the Oval Office, Hillary Clinton has the clear vision, proven pragmatism, leadership acumen, exceptional experience and qualified leadership to hit the ground running on Friday, Jan. 20, 2017, when the 45th U.S. President is inaugurated. Together, let's make sure that happens. 
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SOURCES: Hillary for America, Wikimedia Commons [image]

Join Entrepreneurs Supporting Hillary Clinton for President!

Landrieu Votes Against Snowe Regulatory Amendment, Citing Lack of Congressional Review

Today, United States Sen. Mary L. Landrieu [D-La., pictured], chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, voted against a regulatory reform amendment by Sen. Olympia J. Snowe [R-Maine], ranking member of the Small Business Committee.

The Freedom from Restrictive Excessive Executive Demands and Onerous Mandates Act of 2011, S. AMDT 390, reforms the regulatory process to ensure that small businesses are free to compete and to create jobs, and for other purposes. It was opposed by numerous Senate committees because of the lack of congressional input in the ongoing efforts to provide regulatory relief for small businesses.

"Every day, small-business owners come to my office asking for regulatory relief, and I am committed to removing unnecessary burdens that get in the way of the day-to-day operations of businesses," said Landrieu. "This amendment, however, has yet to have a single Congressional hearing. Because Sen. Snowe’s amendment reaches so far outside of the realm of small business, it seems irresponsible for us to move forward unless it goes through the entire process.

"There have been at least four other regulatory reform bills filed this Congress, and I know the chair of the committee of jurisdiction is doing everything he can to schedule a full hearing in the near future.

"I recognize that some federal regulations are a burden on small businesses. I agree it is important to streamline them -- but there is a time and a place to deal with that issue.

"I have tried to be helpful to my colleague. Last summer, when the Small Business Jobs Act was pending here in the Senate, I personally worked with my ranking member to include several of her provisions on regulatory relief into that bill, now law."

Snowe filed a similar amendment to S. 493, the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011. During negotiations of S. 493, Landrieu offered to hold a hearing on Sen. Snowe’s regulatory reform amendment through the Small Business Committee, but Snowe declined. After five weeks of debate and 150 filed amendments, efforts to end debate and pass the long-term reauthorization of this important small-business program failed.

SOURCES: GovTrack.us, Library of Congress, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, U.S. Small Business Administration
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Looking Back, Looking Forward; GoodBiz113 Ramping Up to Showcase Increased Number of Win-Win Small-Business Partnerships, Democratic Policies

As Memorial Day weekend winds down and today's hot Minnesota breezes beckon summer, we're making time to reflect on GoodBiz113's just-shy-of-five-years history.

Looking Back...
In September 2006, we launched GoodBiz113 with three objectives in mind:

1] To provide well-deserved attention to otherwise-unsung small businesses that forge innovative and socially conscious partnerships with nonprofits and/or public agencies to benefit the greater good -- and, hopefully, inspire *other* businesses both large and small to take positive social action in their corners of the Universe;

2] To cast a light on Democrats who are committed to advancing policies that genuinely promote entrepreneurship, job creation and economic recovery -- e.g., Sen. John Kerry [D-Mass.], then-Senate candidate Amy Klobuchar [D-Minn.]; and

3] To present practices and tips to help small-business owners maximize their resources -- e.g., time, energy, people, money.

Since our September 2006 launch, GoodBiz113 has showcased several socially responsible small-business partnerships, policies and practices.

We've featured businesses from coast to coast, and each enterprise has benefited from the far-reaching PR and Internet exposure -- when their profile initially posted, and in assorted follow-ups; e.g., announcing new products, services, synergies, special events.

Among the win-win partnerships we've featured thus far on a pro bono basis:

* "Minnesota Artisans Mobilize Community to Create 9/11 Stained-Glass Memorial Window: Part 1"
* "Minnesota Artisans Mobilize Community to Create 9/11 Stained-Glass Memorial Window: Part 2"
* "Louisiana Artist Brings Post-Katrina [Blue Dog] Relief to New Orleans"
* "Recycline-Stonyfield Farm Partnership Milks Resources to Benefit the Environment, Consumers and Each Other" [NOTE: We scooped Inc. Magazine on this one!]
* "Alexis Bailly Vineyard Helps U of M Cultivate Wine Industry in Minnesota, 'Where the Grapes Can Suffer'"
* "Life is good® Festivals Unite Communities, Help Kids Face Unfair Challenges"
* "Cuisine Concepts at Heart of Taste of the NFL -- AKA 'Super Bowl Party...With a Purpose' -- to Tackle Hunger in America"
* "South Cone's Sustainable Furniture-Making Serves Growing Consumer Demand; Activism at Seat of New Global Council"
* "Kessler's Helps Feed Storybook Land's Win-Win-Win Growth in Aberdeen, S.D."
* "Verve Inc. Puts Sustainable Bite on All-Natural Chewing Gum and Educational Candy-Making Kits for Kids"
* "Fairview Southdale Hospital Library Invites Employees, Patients and Community to Meet Local Authors; Suspense Writer Brian Freeman Presents on Jan. 22"

We've also shed a positive light on what President Barack Obama, SBA Administrator Karen Mills, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Mary Landrieu [D-La.], U.S. Sen. Al Franken [D-Minn.] and other Democrats are doing to promote entrepreneurship and job creation; e.g., Startup America.

Occasionally, we've also mentioned what a too-small handful of exemplary Republicans -- e.g., Olympia Snowe [R-Maine] -- are doing to serve the best interests of small businesses. [Use the handy-dandy Google Search box, above, to research and track our posts.]

Looking Forward...
Now, as both the weather and, yes, the critical 2012 political season begin to heat up, we're preparing to ramp up our reporting about small-business synergies, as well as about the current and would-be Democratic elected officials who purport to be friendly to the diverse small-business community; e.g., artists, consultants, "solopreneurs," Main Street Mom-and-Pop retailers.

Heretofore, our parent company, YAWP! Media, has bootstrapped GoodBiz113's publishing endeavors entirely in-house. Now, we aim to fuel our enhanced reporting via crowd funding, defined by Wikipedia as "the collective cooperation, attention and trust by people who network and pool their money and other resources together, usually via the Internet, to support efforts initiated by other people or organizations."

We have other seasoned writers and social media experts at the ready to begin tackling our backlog of small-biz synergy profiles, as well as ongoing developments in the policy arena. These professionals deserve to do good work, and they deserve decent compensation to exercise their wealth of talents and insights.

Ramping Up GoodBiz113
We need $20,000 in order to make that happen for far-reaching, win-win good.

If you'd like to support socially responsible small-business partnerships, as well as the policies and practices that fuel entrepreneurial growth, make your pledge today at our Kapipal page -- http://bit.ly/RampUpGoodBiz113 -- by choosing one of the following categories...**

PLEDGE $25
Small-Business Friend: If you pledge $25, you'll be kept apprised of GoodBiz113-related developments; e.g, new profiles.

PLEDGE $100
Small-Business Ally: If you pledge $100, you get the above -- plus name recognition on GoodBiz113.

PLEDGE $500
Small-Business Fan: If you pledge $500, you get all of the above -- plus, we'll post a live link from GoodBiz113 to your website AND we'll distribute an SEO'd press release announcing your support of GoodBiz113’s ramp-up.

PLEDGE $1,000
Small-Business Cheerleader: If you pledge $1,000, you get all of the above -- plus, we'll feature ONE small-biz partnership of your choice; e.g., your own, one of your current or would-be clients/customers. This original SEO-optimized profile will be in a reader-friendly Q&A format *and* include a live link to your website, as well as to the websites of the small business and its partner[s].

PLEDGE $2,000
Small-Business Champion: If you pledge $2,000, you get all of the above -- plus, through 2012, we'll place a 220x110 banner ad in the right column of GoodBiz113 for you to display your logo; you supply the HTML code. We'll also feature TWO small-biz synergies of your choice.

Sponsorship Packages & Offline Pledge Options Available, Too

Besides doing crowd funding via Kapipal, GoodBiz113 is also offering win-win sponsorship packages to individuals and organizations that would like to showcase *several* small-business partnerships on GoodBiz113 through 2012. [NOTE: This is another great opportunity for professionals, prime contractors, VCs and other small-biz stakeholders to provide value-added PR to their clients, vendors, suppliers, etc.]

For details about sponsorship packages and/or making pledges offline, e-mail GoodBiz113 [at] gmail.com.

Thanks, in advance, for supporting GoodBiz113's [near] tireless efforts to promote entrepreneurship, job creation, economic recovery, and the dedicated politicos working on behalf of our dynamic small-biz community -- truly the backbone of our economy.

**Businesses, take note: Come tax time, you should be able to deduct your pledge as an advertising expense. Ask your accountant.

SOURCES: U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, U.S. Small Business Administration, The White House, Wikipedia
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Be Part of GoodBiz113's Ramp-Up Phase -- for Win-Win Good! Pledge Today: http://bit.ly/RampUpGoodBiz113

Sens. Landrieu, Snowe Honor Entrepreneurial Spirit in America

Late yesterday, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution introduced by Senators Mary L. Landrieu [D-La., pictured] and Olympia Snowe [R-Maine], chair and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, respectively, highlighting the critical role that small businesses play in our nation’s economy.

The President signed a proclamation declaring the week of May 15, 2011, as National Small Business Week, honoring our country’s 27.2 million small businesses, and the owners and employees of these firms.

"During National Small Business Week, we honor the nation’s small businesses and entrepreneurs who take risks and start their own businesses," said Landrieu. "It has been a challenging, exciting and, in some ways, promising two years for small businesses, but our work in Congress cannot stop.

"America’s entrepreneurs deserve the recognition of our nation and need the support of Congress to boost job creation and economic growth. As we reflect on the contribution small businesses have made to our economy, I encourage all Americans to celebrate entrepreneurs across America and take a moment to visit your town’s small businesses.”

"National Small Business Week is a time to recognize the extraordinary contributions that small businesses make to the health and vitality of our economy," Snowe noted. "With nearly 30 million small businesses nationwide -- and 150,000 in Maine alone -- these firms are the engines of our economy, and our lifeline to emerge from this economic downturn.

"I hope my colleagues in Congress will join me in celebrating small businesses every week of the year, by reflecting on the countless contributions these firms make to our nation, and focusing on initiatives that enhance -- not inhibit -- their ability to prosper, innovate and create well-paying jobs for Americans."

National Small Business Week Marks 48 Years

Every year since 1963, the President has recognized entrepreneurs by proclaiming National Small Business Week. This resolution expresses the Senate’s appreciation of the efforts and achievements on the part of small-business owners and employees, whose hard work and commitment to excellence have made these firms a key part of the economic vitality of the United States.

According to the Small Business Administration, small firms constitute 99.7 percent of all U.S. employers, and account for roughly half of the nation’s private-sector jobs.

To see the complete resolution, please click here.

SOURCES: U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, U.S. Small Business Administration
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To Prevent Shutdown, Sen. Landrieu Files Extension of SBIR and STTR Programs

United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu [D-La., pictured], chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, today filed a one-year extension of the Small Business Innovation Research [SBIR] and Small Business Technical Transfer [STTR] programs.

After five weeks on the floor, the federal government’s two largest research-and-development programs for small businesses failed to pass a crucial vote last week. Long-term reauthorization is now stuck, and the current extension of these programs is set to expire on May 31, 2011.

"After years of negotiations, and with so much support from my colleagues and the small-business community, it is extremely unfortunate that we are right back where we started," said Landrieu. "To ensure that the SBIR and STTR programs do not end completely, I am filing a one-year, clean extension.

"There are too many businesses across the country with great ideas that are working with our government to develop technologies to improve national security; better the diagnosis, treatment and cure of diseases; and move us closer towards energy independence and efficiency. They would be left in the dark if these programs were to stop. We’d lose so much good technology and important investments.

"To avoid that, it is necessary to make sure the programs don’t shut down or slow down. I hope that we can provide, if only for one year, some sense of certainty for the businesses that partner with the government, and I urge my colleagues to support its continuation."

The SBIR and STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011, S. 493, passed out of the Committee on March 9, 2011, by a nearly unanimous vote of 18-1. Last week, the Senate held a cloture vote to end debate on S. 493, but the motion failed by a vote of 52-44.

To view the text of the extension, please click here.

SOURCES: GovTrack.us, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
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Sen. Landrieu: Small-Business Innovation Now in Jeopardy

Sen. Mary L. Landrieu [D-La., pictured], chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, made the following statement after this morning’s cloture vote on the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011:

"Today was our last chance to reauthorize these important programs and provide some continuity to the small businesses that depend on them," Sen. Landrieu said. "I have to thank the many groups that went out of their way to support this bill, and who offered concessions during our negotiations to ensure a long-term reauthorization was possible.

"This bill, which reauthorizes the federal government’s largest research-and-development programs for small businesses, passed out of our committee with nearly unanimous support, but wound up hitting a brick wall when it reached the Senate floor.

"Unfortunately, some senators chose to stonewall in a self-serving effort to get their way on unrelated issues instead of letting every U.S. Senate committee do their due diligence with regulatory reform.

"Despite having so much bipartisan support going into this debate, not one Republican voted for this job-creating small-business bill -- even those senators in states like Massachusetts, Texas, Pennsylvania and Florida, where almost 23,000 small businesses have gotten billions in SBIR and STTR projects.

"The door may have shut today for reauthorization of programs that have given us companies that are the envy of the world -- like Qualcomm, Sonicare and iRobot. But rest assured, at some point, we will find a way get this done."

SOURCES: GovTrack.us, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
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Senators Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Fight Fraud in Government Contracting Programs

Senators Olympia J. Snowe [R-Maine, pictured], Mary Landrieu [D- La.], Scott P. Brown [R-Mass.], Jeff Merkley [D-Ore.], and Mike Enzi [R-Wyo.], have introduced bipartisan legislation to combat contracting fraud at the U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA]. Their initiative comes on the heels of several vulnerabilities and abuses in nearly all of SBA’s contracting programs, as identified in multiple reports by the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office [GAO].

"Exercising thorough oversight to ensure SBA’s contracting programs are efficient, effective, and accountable is a top priority," said Sen. Snowe, ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. "This legislation is a critical step towards ensuring all of our nation’s small businesses compete fairly in the federal marketplace."

Citing a March 12 Washington Post report that "Government officials were not monitoring contracts for compliance with rules," Sen. Snowe called SBA’s current oversight efforts deficient. "As I told the deputy administrator of the SBA at a recent Small Business Committee hearing," she noted, "the ultimate authority for monitoring fraud lies with the SBA when it comes to government management of hard-earned taxpayer dollars."

"When ineligible firms are awarded federal government contracts through fraudulent means," declared Senate Small Business Committee Chair Sen. Landrieu, "this reduces the number of opportunities available to honest, qualified small businesses.

"Government contracts are perhaps one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways the federal government can help immediately increase sales for America’s entrepreneurs, giving them the tools they need to keep our economy strong and create jobs. This legislation gives the SBA and the inspector general the tools necessary to combat fraud. We intend for the SBA to hold firms accountable."

"With our nation facing record debt and deficits, it is absolutely critical that taxpayer dollars are used judiciously to ensure that small-business contracting programs benefit the rightful recipients," said Sen. Brown, a member of the Senate Small Business Committee. "This bipartisan legislation is a strong step toward ensuring that our contracting programs are operating effectively and efficiently."

"Small businesses are the backbone of our community and the drivers of economic growth," said Sen. Merkley. "The programs that support and assist them should not be diverted or diluted because of waste, fraud of abuse. This bill will help refocus SBA programs like a laser on the needs of our small-business owners."

"We have a situation now where bad actors are snapping up opportunities that would greatly benefit legitimate small businesses," added Sen. Enzi. "This bill would help ensure that those who provide real jobs and quality goods and services are the ones getting the contracts."

Specifically, the Small Business Contracting Fraud Prevention Act of 2011 [S. 633] would provide a comprehensive oversight framework within SBA to execute effective certification, surveillance and monitoring, as well as robust enforcement of its entire contracting portfolio. The bill would also increase criminal penalties for businesses awarded contracts through fraudulent means.

SOURCES: GovTrack.us, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
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Senators Reid, Landrieu Discuss Impact of Jobs Bill to Boost Innovation by Small Businesses

Nevada Senator Harry Reid [pictured] and Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu, chair of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, today discussed the U.S. Senate’s third jobs bill: Reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research [SBIR] and Small Business Technical Transfer [STTR] programs.

First passed under President Ronald Reagan in 1983, these initiatives have awarded more than 89,000 research and development grants worth more than $28 billion to help thousands of small businesses across the country expand and hire new workers.

The senators were joined on the call by Dr. Kenneth Eilertsen, Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Louisiana-based NuPotential Inc., and Jim Hodge, Chief Technical Officer of southern Nevada-based K2 Energy Solutions Inc. Both companies have taken advantage of the SBIR and STTR programs.

"Tens of thousands of small businesses like Nevada-based K2 Energy Solutions have taken advantage of these innovation grants to create jobs and discover the exciting, new products that will keep America competitive in a 21st century global economy," Reid said. "These grants have a highly successful track record. They have helped launch new ideas -- everything from the electric toothbrush, to satellite antennae that helped first responders in Haiti, to technologies that keep our food safe and our military’s tanks from overheating in the desert.

"The only way to turn our economy around is to continue investing in the small businesses in Nevada, and across our country, that are come up with the next brilliant technological advancement that will put people back to work."

"We have already created the formula to get the best return on our investment in small, high-technology firms," said Sen. Landrieu. "Businesses like Mezzo Technologies in Louisiana, which began with only two employees, now has an annual payroll of $1.2 million. That’s putting Americans back to work with cost-effective investments in America’s entrepreneurs through programs like SBIR and STTR.

"In addition to the good return on investment from Mezzo, we’ve got the undeniable success of Qualcomm. With roughly $1.5 billion in SBIR awards, Qualcomm now pays more than $1 billion in annual taxes -- essentially paying for half of the SBIR and STTR programs each year.

"Clearly, there is a plan of action in place. Now it’s time for to execute, and I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting America’s innovators and job creators."

Since the SBIR and STTR programs began 28 years ago, Louisiana has received nearly $60 million and 239 grant awards for its small-business community. Louisiana-based NuPotential received more than $550,000 in STTR grants in collaboration with Louisiana State University to improve cattle somatic cell nuclear transfer [cloning] using NuPotential technology.

Over the last three decades, Nevada has received more than $76 million in grants -- 224 awards, with an average of $341,549 per award -- placing Nevada seventh among all states in dollars-per-award average and well above the national average of $316,341 per award per state.

The Henderson, Nev.-based company, K2 Energy Solutions -- one of the nation’s leaders of rechargeable battery technology -- has received nearly $140,000 in SBIR grants to create an updated BB-2590 battery for the U.S. Army that is three times as powerful, can be used longer, is lighter-weight, capable of a faster recharge, and costs less than the original. Such improvements will drastically reduce the number of batteries that troops must carry in the field, and save weight and logistics needed to transport the battery to the field.

After 10 short-term reauthorizations since 2008, the Senate will soon vote to give stability to the SBIR and STTR programs, so that they can continue to support America’s small businesses. Stay tuned...

SOURCES: GovTrack.us, U.S. Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
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Senator Landrieu Defends Bipartisan Small-Business Lending Fund Legislation

United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu [D-La.. pictured on right], chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, yesterday spoke with Fox Business anchor Gerri Willis of "The Willis Report" about the state of small business.

Specifically, Sen. Landrieu defended the bipartisan Small Community Business Lending Fund in the Small Business Jobs Creation Act, which the Senate is currently debating.

Sens. Landrieu and George LeMieux [R-Fla.] introduced an amendment to the Small Business Jobs Creation Act that restored the $30 billion lending facility. The amendment passed the Senate by a vote of 60-39.

Despite a Republican filibuster and repeated attempts to stall legislation aimed at supporting small businesses, Sen. Landrieu has continued her fight to give businesses greater access to capital, to hire workers and grow their business. She called on her colleagues in the Senate -- Republicans and Democrats alike -- to put aside partisan rhetoric and deliver help to America’s 27 million small businesses.

To view the video of Sen. Landrieu's appearance on "The Willis Report," go to: http://bit.ly/LandrieuWillisVid.

For information on the LeMieux-Landrieu Amendment -- S. AMDT 4500, the Small Business Lending Fund [SBLF] -- visit http://bit.ly/Senate4500.

SOURCES: GovTrack.us, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship
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DOE Announces $30 Million for Energy-Efficient Housing Partnerships

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy announced 15 research-and-deployment partnerships to help dramatically improve the energy efficiency of American homes. These highly qualified, multidisciplinary teams will receive a total of up to $30 million for the initial 18 months of the projects to deliver innovative energy efficiency strategies to the residential market, and address barriers to bringing high-efficiency homes within reach for all Americans.

A total of up to $20 million per year will also be made available for the partnerships of three potential one-year extensions. These research-and-deployment partnerships will provide technical assistance to retrofit projects, and will leverage industry expertise and funding to support DOE's energy-efficiency retrofit programs.

This effort will support the department's Retrofit Ramp-Up initiative, announced by Vice President Joe Biden in April [see GoodBiz113 article, "Vice President Biden Kicks Off Earth Day Activities; 25 Communities Selected for Recovery Act 'Retrofit Ramp-Up' Energy-Efficiency Awards"], which brings communities, governments, private-sector companies and nonprofit organizations together to deliver energy-efficiency upgrades, or retrofits, to entire neighborhoods and cities.

"Home energy efficiency is one of the easiest, most immediate and most cost-effective ways to reduce carbon pollution and save money on energy bills, while creating new jobs," said Secretary of Energy Steven Chu [pictured]. "By developing and using tools to reduce residential energy use, we will spur economic growth here in America, and help homeowners make cost-cutting improvements in their homes."

The partnerships announced today will provide additional support to ongoing retrofit initiatives that are making cost-effective energy efficiency retrofits easily accessible to hundreds of thousands of American homes and businesses. These partnerships will research and deploy new technologies and demonstration projects, and provide systems engineering, quality assurance, and outreach for retrofit projects throughout the country.

Existing techniques and technologies in energy efficiency retrofitting -- such as air-tight ducts, windows and doors; heating and cooling systems; insulation and caulking -- can reduce energy use by up to 40 percent per home, and cut energy bills by $40 billion annually.

The following selections were made though the DOE Building Technologies Program, which forges research partnerships across the residential building industry to develop cost-effective solutions that dramatically reduce the average energy use of housing while improving comfort and quality. To find out more, visit http://bit.ly/BuildingTechDOE.

To further support the broad deployment of energy-efficient building retrofits, DOE is hosting the Residential Building Energy Efficiency Meeting 2010 in Denver, Col., from July 20-22, to present cutting-edge research results; identify key stakeholder and market transformation needs; and facilitate collaboration opportunities between conference participants. This conference is targeted to researchers, architects, contractors, manufacturers, builders, utilities, legislators, lenders, realtors, auditors, raters, installation technicians, homeowner association representatives, and anyone else interested in creating substantial connections with the field.

The following is a brief description of the selected teams -- each of which will receive between $500,000 and $2.5 million, depending on their performance:

* Advanced Residential Integrated Energy Solutions [ARIES], led by Levy Partnership of New York, N.Y. ARIES will focus on energy solutions for new and existing affordable housing, including factory- and site-built homes. ARIES is a broad-based industry team of more than 50 organizations, including implementers, product suppliers and trainers. The ARIES technical team members include CDH Energy, Southern Energy Management, Syracuse University Center of Excellence, and NTA Inc.

* Alliance for Residential Building Innovation [ARBI], led by Davis Energy Group [DEG] of Davis, Cal. ARBI will focus on resolving technical and market barriers to large-scale implementation of innovative energy solutions for new and existing homes. Team members are effectively aligned for retrofit activities -- providing considerable experience in audits, home-performance contracting, marketing and finance. Specific partners include Rocky Mountain Institute, UC Davis, Heschong Mahone Group, Green Home Solutions, and Bevilacqua-Knight.

* Building America Retrofit Alliance [BARA], led by Building Media Inc [BMI], based out of Wilmington, Del., and the New Jersey Institute of Technology [NJIT], located in Newark, N.J. BARA will focus on innovative market-delivery strategies to improve energy efficiency in our nation's existing housing stock. This team has very unique capabilities in the areas of training and outreach. Additional team members include Steve Easley and Associates, Confluence Communications, DuPont, Louisiana State University, Enterprise Community Partners, Institute for Business and Home Safety, and Hancock Software, among others.

* Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction [BA-PIRC] research team, led by the Florida Solar Energy Center [FSEC], a research institute of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Fla. BA-PIRC will focus on cost-effective efficiency solutions for new and existing homes in hot, humid and marine climates. FSEC possesses extensive residential energy research facilities, including the Manufactured Housing Laboratory, the Flexible Roof Facility, the Building Science Lab, the Hot Water Systems Laboratory, and the Climate-Controlled Air Conditioning Laboratory. Team members include Newport Partners [NP], Washington State University [WSU], Northwest Energy Works [N.E.W.], Residential Energy Services Network [RESNET], Building Performance Institute [BPI], WellHome, Florida Home Energy and Resources Organization [Florida H.E.R.O.], Calcs-Plus [CP] and TexEnergy Solutions.

* Building Energy Efficient Homes for America [BEEHA], led by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln [UNL] and the University of Florida [UF], headquartered in Lincoln, Neb., and Gainesville, Fla., respectively. This team possesses impressive simulation and computing facilities, as well as building systems research laboratories. This multidisciplinary research team will explore and deliver systems-engineered solutions for new and existing homes. Industry partners for this team include HearthStone Homes, Rezac Construction, Barry Rutenberg and Associates, G.W. Robinson Homes, Tommy Williams, and Johnson Controls.

* Building Industry Research Alliance [BIRA], led by ConSol with headquarters in Stockton, Cal. BIRA's research will focus on energy and peak reduction in homes by evaluating technologies and market-delivery approaches for neighborhood-scale implementation. The research will target a diversity of homes and a variety of strategies for retrofit implementation. Team members include more than 80 research organizations and building industry partners, such as Washington State University, Arizona State University, UC Davis, General Electric, Ennovationz, Sacramento Municipal Utilities District, San Diego Gas & Electric, Arizona Public Service, Salt River Project, and Bank of America.

* Building Science Corporation [BSC] in Somerville, Mass., is a leading developer of energy systems for durable, high-performance homes. With an impressive depth of capabilities in all key areas required to complete the proposed research, BSC will focus on advanced technical solutions, code barriers, and market demonstrations for new and existing homes. The BSC team includes Affordable Comfort, ARES Consulting, Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County, DEAP Energy Group, National Grid, and a wide array of material suppliers and manufacturers.

* Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings [CARB], led by Steven Winter Associates Inc., Norwalk, Conn. The CARB team has extensive experience successfully conducting and completing team-based advanced building systems research, whole-house research, and outreach. The CARB team will focus on innovative market delivery and cost-effective demonstrations of high-performance retrofits and new homes. Team members include MaGrann Associates, Alliance to Save Energy's BCAP, Pratt Center for Community Development, University of Florida's PREC, Green Builder Media, Jay Hall and Associates, Masco, and a broad spectrum of additional stakeholders in the residential energy industry.

* Habitat Cost Effective Energy Retrofit Program Team, led by Dow Chemical Company in Midland, Mich. This team will focus on applying innovative retrofit technologies, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. These efficiency technologies can deliver energy savings up to 50 percent, and will focus on addressing affordable housing in cold and mixed-humid climate regions. The team's vision is to improve retrofit methodologies by validating cost-effective strategies through test homes, and identifying technology gaps that must be addressed. The Dow team includes Michigan State University, Ferris State University and Habitat for Humanity, with technical contributions from Duke Energy, DTE, and Exelon.

* Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems [CSE] in Cambridge, Mass., will deploy large-scale energy savings by integrating efficiency and renewable energy systems in new and existing homes. The team members have extensive experience in whole-house system integration research -- from simulation through commissioning. Team partners include Owens Corning, researchers from MIT, Conservation Services Group, Boston Redevelopment Authority, and Austin Housing and Economic Development, plus several additional team members from the residential buildings community.

* Integrated Building and Construction Solutions [IBACOS] in Pittsburgh, Penn., will develop and demonstrate integrated systems of design, procurement, construction, quality assurance and marketing needed to transform residential retrofits and new construction across the U.S. IBACOS team members include Advanced Energy, Criterium Engineers, EcoBroker International, GreenHomes America, and the Potomack Group -- along with a wide range of highly experienced residential building scientists, researchers, architects, green-building realtors, retrofit specialists, program evaluators and trainers.

* National Association of Home Builders [NAHB] Research Center Industry Partnership for High Performing Homes. The NAHB Research Center is located in Upper Marlboro, Md., and has over 40 years of experience as an integrated, system-based technology advancement center with the primary mission of removing technological and regulatory barriers to innovation by leveraging its access to remodelers and home builders. Team members include Southface Energy Institute, USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Business Excellence Consulting, Brick by Brick, Residential Building Industry Consulting Services, Concurrent Technologies Corporation, Greenbelt Homes, plus many others.

* National Energy Leadership Corps [NELC], led by Pennsylvania State University in State College, Penn. The NELC will focus on a new approach to home and homeowner assessment that facilitates multiple levels of energy-efficiency measures for existing homes -- including modest and low-cost improvements, extensive energy retrofits, occupant interactions, and the introduction of advanced energy controls and renewable-energy technologies. NELC team members include a broad diversity of partners, such as SmartDwell, Sequentric Energy Systems, Envinity, GroundedPower, ONTILITY, Eaton Corporation, Lutron Corporation, Schneider Electric, Pittsburgh Green Innovators, Partnership for Achieving Construction Excellence [PACE], Conservation Consultants, East Liberty Development, and the Green Building Alliance.

* NorthernSTAR Energy Efficient Housing Research Partnership Team, led by the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minn. The NorthernSTAR team embraces the philosophy that achieving optimal energy efficiency in houses, neighborhoods and communities requires a holistic performance approach, using an integrated implementation process. This team will develop and deploy high-performance energy-efficient solutions for new and existing homes in cold and severe cold climates. Team members include the Center for Energy and the Environment, Building Knowledge, Building Green, Hunt Utilities Group, Verified Green, Energy Center of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corps, McGregor Pearce, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the University of Wisconsin, and Wagner Zaun Architecture.

* Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit [PARR], led by the Gas Technology Institute in Des Plaines, Ill. PARR has strong experience in design, development, integration, and testing of advanced building energy equipment, components and systems in laboratory and test house settings. The team will focus on improving performance, quality and market acceptance of residential retrofits in cold climates. Team members include CNT Energy, the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, the Building Research Council at the University of Illinois, and Future Energy Enterprises, among others.

GoodBiz113's Take
Kudos to Secretary Chu for once again exercising his distinct brand of vision and leadership to fuel such a far-reaching and innovative endeavor that holds so much long-term potential. Current and future generations -- not to mention, American small businesses, our economy and the environment -- will greatly benefit from funding these win-win-win synergies.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Energy
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House Passes Small-Business Capital Bill; Initiative Would Reinvigorate Investment in Small Businesses

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Small Business Lending Fund Act of 2010, H.R. 5297, by a vote of 241-182. The legislation will aid small businesses in securing capital through new community bank incentives, support for state lending initiatives, and by opening venture-capital markets to small businesses.

"Today, under the leadership of Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, Chairman Frank, Chairman Levin and Chairwoman Velázquez, the House of Representatives took strong action to help continue moving our nation's economic recovery forward," declared U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. "At a time when too many small businesses are struggling to find access to the credit they need to hire and expand, this legislation will help ensure that Main Street entrepreneurs are better positioned to create new jobs and invest in their local communities."

The legislation passed by the House includes two key lending initiatives put forward by the Administration:

1] A Small Business Lending Fund that will provide small banks with capital and incentives to extend more credit; and

2] A State Small Business Credit Initiative to support innovative state small business programs -- many of which have been threatened by budget shortfalls.

"The lending initiatives passed today, along with the elimination of capital-gains taxes on small business investments approved by the House earlier this week, will help make certain that small businesses can play a critical role in building and sustaining our nation's economic recovery," Geithner added. "The Administration urges the Senate to take swift action on a package of measures to support small businesses, and looks forward to working closely with Congress as they move to finalize this legislation."

Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez [D-N.Y., pictured], chairwoman of the House Committee on Small Business, was pleased by yesterday's development. "As our most prolific job creators, small businesses will be central to the recovery of the U.S. economy," she said. "However, for entrepreneurs to expand and create jobs, they need access to financing. The measure we approved will make both credit and equity capital available for small firms."

While the legislation would establish a new $30 billion lending fund for community banks -- which proponents say would provide $300 billion in lending to entrepreneurs -- key changes were made during debate of the bill to ensure Main Street businesses benefit from the legislation:

* Rep. Glenn Nye [D-Va.] authored safeguards in the bill that will require banks to substantially boost their small-business lending to qualify for funds; and

* To further assist small firms, language prepared by Rep. Kurt Schrader [D-Ore.] would establish a new borrower assistance program, providing additional funds to small businesses who take out loans. The funds can be used at the entrepreneur's discretion to reduce their interest rates, defer their loan or cover monthly payments.

"Since the onset of the financial crisis, much has been done to shore up our nation's banks, but entrepreneurs' needs have gone unmet," Velázquez said. "These amendments will make sure that small businesses benefit from the current proposal, and I thank Mr. Nye and Mr. Schrader for offering them."

With the capital markets evolving, small businesses are increasingly looking beyond debt financing to equity capital to meet their financing needs. While entrepreneurs have traditionally used assets like real estate to secure loans, more and more business owners today seek financing based on their strengths; e.g., scientific expertise, research technologies, and potential for commercialization. For these firms, investment capital is a better financing solution.

To account for these economic changes, the legislation contains provisions aimed at reinvigorating investment in small start-ups. By establishing a new Small Business Early-Stage Investment Program, funds from the SBA will be paired with private capital to invest in small start-ups.

"In a world where revolutionary new products are conceived in dorm rooms and companies are born in garages, we need new ways of meeting businesses' capital needs," Velázquez noted. "The Small Business Early-Stage Investment Program recognizes this fundamental shift, taking steps to meet the capital needs of new businesses and helping them create jobs."

GoodBiz113's Take
This critical legislation is just the stimulus that U.S. small businesses need in order expand and create even more jobs for our nation's economic recovery. Kudos to Rep. Velázquez and her colleagues for propelling such far-reaching policy.

SOURCES: Community Development Venture Capital Alliance [CDVCA], Library of Congress, OpenCongress, U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. House Committee on Small Business, The White House
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New Landrieu Amendment Provides Interest Relief for Small-Business Disaster Loans

Today, United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu [D-La., pictured], chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, announced her intention to introduce an amendment that would offer businesses with Small Business Administration [SBA] disaster loans from the 2005 and 2008 hurricanes, interest relief of up to $15,000. Sen. Thad Cochran [R-Miss.] has indicated he intends to co-sponsor the measure.

"Businesses along the Gulf Coast have faced some of the worst disasters this country has ever seen," Sen. Landrieu said. "To this day, many of these businesses are struggling to pay down loans made from the hurricanes in 2005 and 2008.

"Now, they are being faced with another disaster that is threatening their way of life once again. With the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico impacting businesses in Louisiana and along the entire Gulf Coast, we have the opportunity to offer some relief.

"This amendment allows the SBA to offer interest relief to small businesses with existing loans. It is my hope that this amendment will be adopted quickly when the full Senate considers the Supplemental next week."

The proposal would apply to disaster loans made after Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike. SBA would be required to prioritize applications for businesses with 50 employees or less, and businesses impacted by the BP oil spill. Businesses would still be responsible for the principal and the remaining interest of their loans. According to loan data from the SBA, this program could potentially help up to 12,000 businesses.

This amendment is similar to a bill, S. 2986, the Southeast Hurricanes Small Business Disaster Relief Act of 2010 -- introduced by Sens. Landrieu, Cochran and Roger Wicker [R-Miss.] -- which was endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce this week. To read the letter of endorsement, go to: http://bit.ly/Chamber2986.

GoodBiz113's Take
What's good for America's 27.2 million small businesses is good for the entire country -- especially since we create 60-80 percent of all new jobs here.

Sen. Landrieu's proposal will help small businesses impacted by myriad forms of disaster, and deserves swift action -- before the next oil spill, hurricane, tornado, wildfire, etc., brings livelihoods to a far-reaching halt.

SOURCES: GovTrack, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
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SBA Announces Changes to Small Business Procurement Scorecard Format

The U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA] just announced that it is revising the format of the annual Small Business Procurement Scorecard to provide more clarity and transparency on the federal government’s performance in meeting its small-business contracting goals. The revised scorecard will be based on an A through F letter grade system, as opposed to the previous red, yellow and green ratings.

"This revision to the Scorecard will provide greater clarity and transparency on how well each agency is doing in meeting its small-business prime contracting goals," said SBA Administrator Karen Mills [pictured]. "Federal contracts provide critical opportunities for small businesses to grow and create jobs. This revision builds on our ongoing efforts to strengthen the integrity of the overall process for small-business contracting, while also expanding opportunities for small businesses to compete for, and win, federal contracts.”

The revisions will appear when SBA issues its report later this year for federal contracting in fiscal year 2009. Over the past year, SBA has worked collaboratively with contracting and small-business officials to develop the new system. The revised methodology better reflects the unique needs of individual agencies, while maintaining a focus on achieving the statutory small-business contracting goals.

The overall small-business prime contracting goals have been established by Congress to ensure that small businesses get their fair share of federal contracts. The government-wide goal for prime contracts to small businesses is 23 percent of total qualified contract dollars -- with additional goals of five percent for small disadvantaged businesses [SDBs]; five percent for women-owned businesses [WOSBs]; three percent for HUBZone small businesses; and three percent for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses [SDVOSBs].

SBA negotiates individual goals for each agency, while ensuring that, when combined, they meet the overall statutory goals for the federal government. SBA’s small-business procurement goal, for example, is 67.05 percent. While Scorecards will measure subcontracting activity, that information is not factored into the determination of whether the federal government meets the statutory small-business prime contracting goals.

The new Scorecard holistically assesses an agency’s entire small-business procurement performance. An agency’s overall grade will be comprised of three quantitative measures: prime contracts [80 percent], subcontracts [10 percent], and its progress plan for meeting goals [10 percent].

The letter grades for prime contracting and subcontracting will show an A+ for agencies that meet or exceed 120 percent of their goals; an A for those between 100 percent and 119 percent; a B for 90 to 99 percent; a C for 80 to 89 percent; a D for 70 to 79 percent; and an F for less than 70 percent.

In last year’s Scorecard rating performance for the FY 2008 contracting year, small businesses won 21.5 percent of contract dollars, or about $93.3 billion out of a small-business-eligible base of about $434 billion. More than half of all agencies met their individual goals. The small-business-eligible base for FY2009 was about $437 billion.

An example of the new Scorecard format can be accessed at http://bit.ly/NewProcurementScorecard.

About SBA
The U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA] was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small-business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise, and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation.

SBA recognizes that small business is critical to our economic recovery and strength -- to building America's future, and to helping the United States compete in today's global marketplace.

GoodBiz113's Take
Kudos to Administrator Mills and her team for overhauling SBA's Small Business Procurement Scorecard. From all appearances, the new system delivers more meaningful, at-a-glance information, and is infinitely superior to that used by the Bush administration -- which, despite its lip service to small businesses, was far more intent on awarding multibillion-dollar bundled contracts to its corporate buddies [e.g., Halliburton] than in helping small-business owners and entrepreneurs grow the U.S. economy.

Indeed, we've come a long way since Jan. 20, 2009. And things just keep getting better...

SOURCES: Acquisition Central, U.S. Small Business Administration
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Sen. Landrieu: Economy Improving, But More Help Is Needed for America's Small Businesses

Late yesterday, just hours after the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that approximately 162,000 Americans were put back to work in the month of March, United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu [D-La., pictured], chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, issued the following statement:

"Last month, approximately 162,000 Americans were put back to work -- a sign that the measures Congress is taking to improve the economic climate are working," said Landrieu. "While I am encouraged by the number of jobs that were created, there is still much work to be done to support the nation's small businesses and those Americans still out of work.

"To build on the successful recovery loan initiatives -- higher guarantees and fee waivers on borrowers of Small Business Administration loans -- I urge my colleagues in the Senate to work to adopt the provisions coming out of the Small Business Committee. With small business accounting for 65 percent of all new jobs, these proposals are aimed at creating jobs and spurring small-business growth, and have passed this Committee with bipartisan support."

Sen. Landrieu has proposed five measures to be included in the next jobs bill to be debated on the Senate floor. The measures include:

* Small Business Job Creation and Access to Capital Act of 2009 [S. 2869]: Raises the cap on small-business loans to increase lending by $5 billion the first year, and refinances commercial real estate debt into long-term, fixed-rate loans -- provisions that are expected to be budget neutral and could create/save 200,000 jobs;

* Small Business Export Enhancement and International Trade Act of 2009 [S.2862]: Boosts small businesses’ exporting potential by improving access to loans, counseling programs and coordination of existing federal export assistance resources, while injecting more than $1 billion in capital for small businesses and saving/creating as many as 50,000 jobs;

* Small Business Contracting Revitalization Act of 2010 [S. 2989]: Removes the red tape and closes loopholes that too often put government work into the hands of multinational corporations instead of Main Street businesses. Increasing contracts to small businesses by just 1 percent can create more than 100,000 jobs;

* Small Business Community Partner Relief Act of 2010 [S. 3165]: Strengthens SBA women’s business and microloan programs to ensure they have the funds and manpower needed to be successful resource partners and help small-business owners get the assistance they need; and

* SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2009 [S. 1233]: Encourages small businesses to develop new technologies in fields from health care and defense, to clean energy. These competitive grants are the largest source of federal R&D funding for small, high-tech firms. Twenty-percent of SBIR participants say they started their company in part because of a prospective SBIR award, creating thousands of jobs.

This week, Sen. Landrieu sent a letter to her Senate colleagues requesting their support for this legislation. To view a copy of the letter, please go to: http://bit.ly/LandrieuLetterJobsBill.

Detailed information on each proposal can be found here: http://bit.ly/SmallBizJobCreation.

SOURCES: GovTrack.us, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship
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March 31 @ 7 p.m. EST: HHS, SBA Leaders to Hold Live Q&A Webcast About Health Insurance Reform's Impact on Small Businesses

To help everyone better understand implementation of the new health reform law, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS] is holding a live, online Q&A session tomorrow evening, Wednesday, March 31, from 7-7:30 p.m. EST at www.hhs.gov/live. The event features HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius [pictured] and U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA] Administrator Karen Mills clarifying the new health insurance reform law's impact on small businesses.

"A lot of people have questions about this comprehensive and complicated legislation," Sebelius wrote in her announcement of the Web Chats. "This will be the first in a series of weekly webcasts and discussions we here at the Department of Health and Human Services will hold with you, the American people, as we work to implement this new law and ensure health security for Americans who have, until the passage of this bill, been paying more and more for health care and getting less and less in return."

To participate in tomorrow's event, e-mail your questions in advance to HealthReform@hhs.gov. Sebelius and Mills will try to get to as many of them as they can during the Web Chat, then answer more via the HealthReform.gov site afterwards.

"Already, I’ve received countless questions from small-business owners about the new law and its benefits," said SBA's Mills. "In fact, this new law offers many tools to help small-business owners access more affordable health insurance options for their employees. These tools include the creation of 50 state exchanges that will allow small-business owners to access affordable health insurance plans for their employees, as well as new tax credits to help pay for this coverage."

"As the President told me recently, we have a solemn responsibility to make sure health reform is implemented carefully and effectively," Sebelius noted. "And we have an equal responsibility to make sure Americans know what changes are coming and how to take advantage of these new benefits...

"Our health insurance system wasn’t broken in a day. And it won’t be fixed in a day either. It’s going to take a lot of work. But the good news is that, after decades of talking about the need for these changes, that work is finally beginning and we want you to be a part of our efforts."

"I know you want to know what’s in health insurance reform for your small business and your employees," Mills added. "I hope you’ll join Secretary Sebelius and me at http://www.healthreform.gov/ tomorrow night, at 7 p.m. EDT to find out what’s in it for you."

To learn more about the key provisions of health reform that immediately take effect, go to: http://bit.ly/KeyProvisions.

SOURCES: HealthReform.gov [photo], U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Small Business Administration, White House
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President Obama Proposes Strong Budget for Small Business; Increases SBA Funding by More Than 20 Percent

Yesterday, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Mary L. Landrieu [D-La., pictured] praised the Small Business Administration [SBA] components of President Barack Obama’s budget proposal. For the second year in a row, the President has proposed increasing funding for the SBA and its programs, taking decisive steps to rebuild the SBA after eight years of cuts.

The request proposes to increase funding to the agency by $170 million from last year’s enacted level, to $994 million. This, along with new small-business, job-creating proposals the President outlined in his State of the Union address last week, show the Obama Administration’s strong support for small businesses.

"By requesting more money to help our small businesses succeed," said Sen. Landrieu, "President Obama’s budget proposal emphasizes that small business remains a top priority for the Administration, and is central to the President’s efforts to create jobs.

"As part of his budget, the President again showed his support for increasing the caps on small-business loans as a way to provide small businesses with immediate capital to grow and hire workers. This is a proposal I, along with Ranking Member Olympia Snowe [R-Maine], introduced last year. It has since gained even more bipartisan support, and passed the committee. It is my hope the proposal will be included in any job-creating measure introduced in the Senate."

President Obama’s proposed budget:

Expands Access to Capital
* Supports the increase of the maximum 7[a] loan size from $2 million to $5 million, 504 loans from $1.5 million to $5.5 million, and microloans from $35,000 to $50,000. Sen. Landrieu introduced, and the committee passed, legislation that matches these increases;

* Supports more than $28 billion in small-business financing -- including $17.5 billion for the 7[a] loan guarantee program; $7.5 billion for the 504 loan guarantee program; and $3 billion for the Small Business Investment Company [SBIC] program, which provides venture capital financing to small firms;

* Supports $25 million in microloans, allowing intermediaries to provide small loans to entrepreneurs and start-ups; and

* Provides $5.9 million for the SBA’s international trade and export promotion programs, allowing the agency to support more than $1.1 billion in capital to small exporters and maintain their network of 18 export finance specialists.

Supports Counseling and Contracting Programs
* Provides $113 million to support about 900 Small Business Development Centers [SBDCs];

* Provides $14 million to support about 100 Women’s Business Centers [WBCs];

* Provides $7 million to support about 370 chapters of SCORE, a mentoring program involving retired executives;

* Provides $2.2 million for the Historically Underutilized Business Zones [HUBZones] program, which creates incentives for contracting with small firms to create jobs in underserved communities;

* Provides $3.4 million for the 7[j] technical assistance program, which provides small disadvantaged businesses with training in financing, business development, management, accounting and marketing;

* Provides $3 million to increase the reach of Emerging Leaders. Graduates of this program -- often in distressed areas -- have reported significant increases in revenues, government contracts, local hires, and access to financing; and

* Provides $11 million to support the job growth potential found in regional clusters of businesses. These clusters will involve public-private partnerships, which align federal resources with existing regional strengths and economic growth opportunities.

Provides Help for Those Hit by a Disaster
* Supports $1.1 billion in direct disaster-assistance loans, in line with the 10-year average;

* Includes a legislative proposal that would extend, from three to seven years -- the maximum term for businesses that want an SBA disaster loan, but have an existing line of credit with a bank or have enough cash on hand where they could get a conventional loan from non-SBA sources; and

* Requests $203 million to support for administrative expenses for the disaster program -- an increase of $126 million from last year’s enacted level. These funds are critical in supporting SBA’s effort to efficiently and effectively service its $8.4 billion active loan portfolio.

Reduces Risk and Increases Oversight
* Provides $2 million to strengthen lender oversight and on-site reviews, to ensure taxpayer dollars are going to those who need help the most;

* Provides $4 million to improve oversight of government contracting programs, including the HUBZone program, and to strengthen performance assessment and management of the Small Business Innovation Research [SBIR] program; and

* Provides $1.1 million to evaluate the SBA’s loan, counseling and other programs to optimize effectiveness.

"While this budget request shows the President’s strong dedication to small businesses, I will work to increase funding for critical counseling programs, and to restore funding for the Federal and State Technology Partnership program [FAST]," Landrieu added. "The FAST program increases small-business innovation opportunities, and is vital for the growth of rural areas. The program received funding last year for the first time since 2004, and must not disappear."

SOURCES: Library of Congress, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, U.S. Small Business Administration
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