Small Business Development Centers Modernization Act of 2009

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this measure which will update and improve the SBA's ED programs. This bill is a bipartisan product and will not only strengthen small firms but will help them create new jobs for American workers.

This week, we are honoring our Nation's job creators, the entrepreneurs who generate roughly 70 percent of all new positions. As we celebrate Small Business Week this year, we find ourselves in a different place than in celebrations past. The economic landscape has changed considerably, and in the face of an historic recession, small firms cannot always go it alone. After all, starting and running a small business is no easy lift, even when times are good. That is why the Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act is so important. It revs up the engine of our economy, the entrepreneurs who are creating jobs and changing the way our country does business.

This bill gives small firms the tools they need to flourish. By enhancing SBA's entrepreneurial development programs, it will help existing businesses grow and allow aspiring entrepreneurs to get off the ground. These resources are critical. In fact, small firms that use them are twice as likely to succeed than those that don't. But unfortunately, many of these initiatives are outdated and underfunded. Today, we will take important steps to ensure they are running at full capacity.

Despite declines in corporate America, the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. Every month, 400,000 new businesses start up across the country. Imagine if each of those firms had access to resources like business development training. Through H.R. 2352 they will. This bill provides entrepreneurs with the tools they need to do everything from draft a business plan to secure equity capital. These services put small firms on a level playing field, allowing them to compete in virtually any sector, including the Federal marketplace.

Although most industries are struggling, the Federal marketplace is booming. With billions of stimulus dollars now in play, that sector presents

enormous opportunity for entrepreneurs. But before they can crack the industry, small firms will need to know its ins and outs. H.R. 2352 provides the training they need to do so. It also offers the necessary technology.

In order to adapt to new markets, many entrepreneurs will need to retool their operations. Through cutting-edge technology programs, this bill allows entrepreneurs everywhere to access the information they need. In doing so, it encourages entrepreneurship in places where it might not otherwise grow. For struggling rural regions and inner cities, H.R. 2352 will be an economic catalyst. It will also reflect the changing face of American business. More and more, women, veterans, and Native Americans are starting their own firms. For these people, entrepreneurship is more than a means of employment; it is a path to economic independence.

From rejuvenating rural regions to promoting entrepreneurship in underrepresented communities, ED makes good economic sense. And in fact, every $1 put into the program puts another $2.87 into the Treasury. If you ask me, that's a pretty good return on investment. By modernizing and enhancing the program, the returns will only get better. Because at the end of the day, strengthening entrepreneurial development programs empowers small businesses, allowing them to grow and, perhaps most importantly, create new jobs for American workers.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I have no further speakers if the ranking member is prepared to close.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to take this opportunity to commend the work of Mr. Shuler and Mr. Luetkemeyer in putting together this bill. I would also like to commend the other members of the committee--Mr. Nye, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Schock, Mr. Thompson, Mrs. Kirkpatrick, Ms. Fallin, and particularly the ranking member, Mr. Graves--for all of their efforts and contributions in putting together this bipartisan product.

Entrepreneurs have much talent for job creation. In the last few months, much has been made of that ability and with good reason. As employment continues to climb, we need to be investing in the businesses that can put Americans back to work. The Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act of 2009 will do just that. That is why this bill is supported by groups as diverse as the American Legion, the Association for Enterprise Opportunity, the International Franchise Association, the National Association for the Self-Employed, the National Black Chamber of Commerce, the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Already, the SBA's entrepreneurial development programs help small firms do everything from draft business plans to accessing capital. These services have been an invaluable resource for countless entrepreneurs, and they have led to the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs. In fact, entrepreneurial development helped generate 73,000 new positions in 2008 alone.

Despite the program's inherent value, it is in sore need of modernization. Today, we are going to begin the process of turning it around. In doing so, we will ensure that small firms have the tools they need to spark a sustained recovery. What better time to reinforce the backbone of our economy than during Small Business Week. We can do more than celebrate our entrepreneurs. We can empower them and can help them play their unique role as an economic catalyst.

I will now yield to the gentlewoman from Illinois as much time as she may consume.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield myself such time as I may consume.

The manager's amendment makes technical and conforming changes to the underlying legislation. It also incorporates several important amendments offered by Ms. Markey, Mr. Carney, Mr. Polis, Ms. Pingree, and Mr. Cardoza.

Across all areas of the legislation, these amendments sharpen the provisions, making them more effective in assisting our entrepreneurs. In particular, these amendments strengthen provisions dealing with veterans, rural entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs, and green technology.

I would like to thank my colleagues who contributed these changes and allowed them to be included in the manager's amendment. Ultimately, we have a manager's amendment that will improve this legislation and, more importantly, foster entrepreneurship and job growth.

Mr. Chairman, I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this amendment.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, while not opposed to the amendment, I ask to claim the time in opposition.

Mr. Chairman, as our Nation transitions to a green economy, America's entrepreneurs are leading the way. Entrepreneurs make up 90 percent of the renewable energy sector that is harnessing wind and solar power, as well as producing biofuels. Small companies are also dominant in the field of energy efficiency, and they're finding better, cleaner ways to use existing fuel sources.

The renewable energy and efficiency sectors are leading a new way for growth. They are expected to account for one out of every four jobs by 2030. Small businesses are also instrumental in efforts promoting energy efficiency in both existing and new buildings.

The amendment offered by the gentlelady from Colorado will build on this role. It clarifies that Women's Business Centers may utilize their resources to promote cost-saving energy techniques. That is a valuable change to the legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

I now yield to the gentleman from Missouri for any comments that he might have.

Mr. Chairman, while not opposed to the amendment, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition.

I thank the gentleman from Minnesota for offering this amendment. All of us on both sides of the aisle want to make sure that these programs meet the needs of our entrepreneurs. I think we're doing good work with this legislation. But, as with many government programs, we must ensure there is sufficient oversight.

It is important that we carefully monitor how taxpayer dollars are spent and what effect they're having. Most of all, we must be sure that these programs accomplish what Congress intended.

The amendment in question will provide this oversight. It requires the Government Accountability Office to report on the effectiveness of ED programs for veterans.

I welcome this additional oversight. If Congress is going to ensure veterans are receiving the help they need from the SBA, we must make sure these new programs are functioning correctly. I will encourage my colleagues to vote for this amendment.

Now I yield to the gentleman from Missouri for any comments that he may have.

We are prepared to accept the amendment.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman from Ohio for his amendment. The legislation on the floor today places a high priority on helping veterans who wish to transition from the military to entrepreneurship. As I have noted, this bill for the first time creates a nationwide network of Veterans Business Centers. As our servicemen and -women return home from Afghanistan and Iraq, many of them will look to launch their own businesses as the next step in their careers. This network of Veterans Business Centers will aid them as they make that move. For many veterans, entrepreneurship is a logical next step. Already today, veterans comprise 14 percent of self-employed people. Service-disabled veterans make up 7 percent of small businesses. The underlying legislation would help these veterans who own their own firms as well as assist veterans seeking to start their own enterprises. The amendment before us helps to refine and improve the veterans provisions contained in this bill.

Specifically, the amendment requires that the new veterans centers offer specialized services to help unemployed veterans. In addition, the amendment will help the SBA improve outreach and education to veterans in high unemployment areas, and it would mean that the SBA will dedicate resources to assist those veterans who need help the most. In short, this amendment will do right by those who have served our Nation.

I now yield to the ranking member, the gentleman from Missouri, for any comments that he may have.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

If the gentleman is prepared to yield back, we are prepared to accept the amendment.

I urge adoption of the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, let me thank the gentleman from Connecticut for this great amendment.

We often hear discussion of the concept of ``welfare to work.'' Well, the amendment before us will move many Americans from ``welfare to entrepreneurship.'' Studies consistently demonstrate that entrepreneurship provides a path out of poverty for many Americans. In particular, we have seen that for many impoverished women, launching their own small business can mean a chance at a bright future. This amendment will provide entrepreneurial development resources to those communities that have been hardest hit by this recession by creating Microenterprise Training Centers. These centers will let Americans interested in starting a very small business, such as a home-based business, access valuable classes, one-on-one instruction and other guidance. These resources will help launch the smallest small businesses, those with six or less employees and that start with $40,000 or less in capital. Under the amendment, the SBA will establish these training centers. The administrator is instructed to place them in parts of the country that have a high proportion of low-income and unemployed individuals.

Mr. Chairman, when economic downturns like the current one hit, those communities that are already hurting often carry the brunt of the pain. Those areas already struggling with high unemployment suffer the most when jobs become even more scarce. The amendment before us will provide additional options for Americans living in these communities. It will mean that those living in poverty will have a better chance to secure their economic independence and build a better life for themselves. The Microloans Program is a program that lends to businesses and those who want to start up a business. These are microenterprises that will provide technical assistance and guidance for those who want to start up a business. It's different.

I commend the gentleman for offering this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, the amendment offered by the gentleman from Maryland will greatly expand the reach of entrepreneurial development programs. Too often small business owners or prospective entrepreneurs cannot access these programs because they live in a rural or remote area. For those small businesses in these parts of America, the nearest Small Business Development Center or Women's Business Center is often many miles away. This can prevent small businesses from accessing the services that we are improving and reauthorizing in the underlying bill.

The amendment offered by the gentleman from Maryland will further ensure that the SBA pays attention to the needs of rural America. Specifically, it creates a rural entrepreneurship advisory council at the Small Business Administration. Drawing from the expertise of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Commerce, this panel will see to it that ED services provided by the SBA are effective for rural small businesses.

In many rural areas, many small businesses are particularly important. Often they are the community's largest employer. This amendment will ensure that the SBA's entrepreneurial development programs are meeting the needs of rural America.

I urge the adoption of the amendment.

And I now yield to the gentleman from Missouri for any remarks that he might have.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from New York for offering this amendment, as I believe it will help to improve the bill. As we all know, and we have seen and we heard that veteran entrepreneurship is on the rise, meaning that these services are in greater and greater demand.

The existing Veterans Business Outreach Centers have seen a 61 percent increase in veterans' requests for their services. Women's Business Centers report a 103 percent increase in veterans' requests. Clearly there is a hunger out there for these type of initiatives. And as more of our men and women return from Iraq and Afghanistan, the need for veterans' entrepreneurial development programs can be expected to grow.

By increasing the resources that are available for our former servicemen and -women, this amendment will help many of them launch their own businesses.

I will now yield to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) for any comments that he wishes to make.

Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman is prepared to yield back, we are prepared to accept this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I urge the adoption of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, let me start by saying that the gentleman from Virginia has been enormously helpful in crafting this legislation. He authored the bill on which title I is based. That measure establishes a portfolio of entrepreneurial development services for our Nation's veterans.

The amendment that he is now offering will go even further. As we have already noted, members of our Armed Forces are natural candidates for entrepreneurship. They exhibit the dedication, resolve and leadership skills that it takes to launch a new enterprise. In many cases, they make excellent Federal contractors as they are familiar with the procurement process or are in fields in high demand by the government.

This amendment takes a very proactive approach by reaching out to members of the military before they are discharged easing their transition back into civilian life.

Today, too many Americans who have worn the uniform of our Nation find themselves unemployed after separating from the service. With this amendment, we create another option, another career path for members of our military.

I thank the gentleman from Virginia for offering this amendment and for all of his work on this bill.

And I now yield to the ranking member from Missouri for any comments that he might have.

I urge the adoption of the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I am not opposed to the amendment. I ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition.

The amendment offered by the gentleman from Michigan is a well-thought-out proposal. In fact, earlier this month, the House Small Business Committee conducted a hearing regarding how small parts suppliers and manufacturers are coping given the current problems in the automobile industry. What we heard is troubling. Experts predict that half of the Nation's auto suppliers will be shut down by 2012. Many have already closed their doors.

These factories are vital not just to the automotive sector but to our overall economy. Parts suppliers alone employ 3.2 million workers. We know that the three big car manufacturers are suffering, but these are the smaller of the smaller, and they need our help. So it is very important what this amendment will do.

In the past, these manufacturers have supplied the American automobile industry, and I believe they can continue to have a bright future. By modernizing their facilities and entering new markets, they can keep offering good-paying jobs to millions of Americans while maintaining a strong manufacturing base in this country.

If we have learned any one thing from the current economic crisis, it is that economic stability starts from the bottom up, not the other way around. By stabilizing small manufacturers and part suppliers, we can help the larger firms in the automotive industry. In that process, we will protect millions of jobs. The amendment before us will further this goal.

I urge its adoption, and I yield to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) for any comments he wishes to make.

If the gentleman is prepared to yield back.

Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. Speaker, today, we are considering a lot of bills, good bills, to help out small business people. But I find it ironic that at the same time we pass more programs and try to fund what is out there, the same Congress continues to pass, one after the other, job- killing bills. We can start with cap-and-trade that will kill millions and millions of jobs across this country.

The largest city in the congressional district I represent, Rockford, Illinois, is close to 17 percent unemployment. One out of four families in Rockford is on public assistance. No news has hit that city in a long time, but the news from Washington is we want to raise your taxes, give you more regulations, and here we are on the eve of passing one of the biggest small business job-killing bills, this massive so-called health care reform bill that will put between 4 and 5 million people out of work, small businesses.

There is something wrong in this city that says it wants to help the small business people and turns right around, and the very people that the majority in this Congress say that they want to help, they are hurting, making them bleed with regulation after regulation, tax increase after tax increase, mandate after mandate, penalty after penalty.

I was raised in small business. When I was 4, my father bought a small grocery store in the rough-and-tough part of Rockford, Illinois; and he personally grubstaked. That is, he gave credit to thousands of people coming in from the displaced persons camps of Eastern Europe and people coming from Arkansas with the massive crop failures. All we know is small business.

He went from the grocery store business into the drive-in restaurant business and the family Italian restaurant business. After awhile, my brother, who ran the restaurant business for 41 years, said, Donnie, all I do is work for the government and for higher insurance premiums.

He and the people and the rest of the Frankie Manzullos out there shouldn't have to go to another government agency and beg for help. This city should be recognizing the fact that the best way to help the small business people is not to suck $544 billion in taxes from people working in small businesses. Because, Mr. Speaker, what we are doing here is, by raising taxes on these small business people, this money is going to the government which squanders it, as opposed to the money staying in the private sector, which is used to keep the businesses going, to nurture them, and create more businesses.

The city has it all wrong. No wonder the people of America are upset. No wonder there is a revolution going on, with the small businessmen saying, We can't take it anymore. We don't want any more help from Washington. Just leave us alone.

Mr. Speaker, there is no irony here. When the Republicans controlled this body, on two different occasions we passed association health plans only to have them fail in the Senate because there weren't 60 votes.

And I believe on three different occasions when the Republicans controlled the House of Representatives, we passed meaningful medical liability reform. That wasn't even taken up in the Senate. It wasn't taken up in the Senate, even though the Republicans controlled the Senate because you needed 60 votes to get it through.

And we had to fight tooth and nail to eliminate the horrible death tax that destroyed small businesses. In fact, some of the statistics show that three out of four small businesses could not go down beyond three generations because of the confiscatory death tax. And farmers were losing their farms. I know. I practiced law in the country for 22 years, and I was there when one of the family farms had to be sold to pay for death tax.

We got those changes through. It was difficult, but we got those changes through.

And of course we know what is going to happen now. Neither the White House nor the Democratic leadership is interested in making sure that the death tax stays repealed in this country.

These are all job killers for small business people.

It doesn't make sense for us to continue to pass bill after bill after bill after bill to laud the efforts of the small business people of this country, to say that without the small businesses--the ones who produce more than 57 percent of all the employees in this country--why is it that they will be the beneficiaries of the lack of capital that is sucked up on $454 billion worth of new taxes--yes, on those, the third wealthiest, if you want to call it that, that make more than $250,000 a year?

But instead of paying money in taxes, they would be putting that money back into keeping their businesses going and helping their employees keep their jobs.

I have visited hundreds, hundreds of factories across the district that I represent, several parts of Illinois, talking to the people who own these factories, trying to find out what is it that they need so they can continue to be more productive. And what I hear from them is the fact that they want to be left alone by Washington. They look at what this cap-and-trade will do to them--and this is a valid debate, we're talking about helping small business people--but they look at what cap-and-trade will do to the factories, to the productivity, to push more jobs offshore.

In fact, we got a call from a national company that has employees all over the country that has a call center, a series of call centers. To keep the jobs in this country, they decided to close the physical facilities and to allow the people to work from home part-time to make those phone calls, to keep the call centers here in America as opposed to being exported overseas. The people from one of these call centers says, If this health bill passes mandating health insurance for part- time employees, it's easy for them, they will close their facilities, and 50,000 more jobs will be exported overseas.

This doesn't help the small businesses of this country. What we need is to start retracting these regulations. What we need to do is to start reducing the taxes. What we need to do is to make it easier for people to have the capital.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 2352, the Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act of 2009. And I want to thank our chairwoman and our ranking member. I appreciate all your efforts to move this comprehensive package of legislation forward and especially want to thank our chairwoman for working with me on title I of the bill, the Veterans Business Centers Act, which will help our Nation's veteran entrepreneurs.

In my district, we have the second largest concentration of veterans of any congressional district in the country. My district is home to Norfolk Naval Base, the largest naval base in the world. In our community, there are countless veteran-owned businesses that are vital to the local economy.

The measure that we are considering today will give veteran entrepreneurs everywhere the support they need to launch new enterprises and to grow existing businesses. The cornerstone of this effort will be a new nationwide network of services dedicated to veteran entrepreneurs, called Veterans Business Centers, the first nationwide business assistance program for veterans. Establishing this network will provide veterans with dedicated counseling and business training, with access to capital and to securing loans and credit and with help in navigating the procurement process.

We know already, when they have access to the right tools, veterans can succeed in business, and I believe that we can build on what works and that we can expand access to these critical services. I strongly urge the passage of this bill.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act. In fact, I authored title I, the Veterans Business Centers provision, and I am in strong support of the title as it is. Today, however, I would like to make a minor addition to that bill, the Military Entrepreneurs Program.

Mr. Chairman, it takes a special kind of person to be an entrepreneur. Small business ownership takes leadership. And in times like these, it takes resilience. So it is not surprising that, as they reenter civilian life, many of our returning servicemembers decide to launch their own enterprises. After all, these are the same attributes that they have exhibited while serving our Nation.

Our veterans leave the military with valuable skills and experience. But they often don't have the resources to apply those skills to the challenge of starting and running a small business. This bill will make sure our veterans have the support they need to launch successful small businesses. And by supporting our veterans and our small businesses, we will help create jobs and get our economy going again.

The cornerstone of this effort will be a new nationwide network of services dedicated to veteran entrepreneurs called Veteran Business Centers. Establishing this joint public-private network will provide veterans with the dedicated counseling and business training they need to launch new enterprises or grow existing businesses. By creating a new program to assist veterans in accessing capital and securing loans and credit, we will help them overcome some of the most significant hurdles blocking them from becoming successfully self-employed.

By creating a new program to help our veterans to navigate the procurement process, they will be able to compete more effectively in the Federal marketplace.

The Recovery Act is expected to create work in many sectors that are veteran dominated, like engineering, telecommunications, project management and construction. This bill will help veteran entrepreneurs take advantage of these opportunities.

In coordination with these new Veteran Business Centers, this amendment, the Military Entrepreneurs Program, will direct the SBA to provide servicemembers transitioning to civilian life entrepreneurial information, training and financial guidance, the things they need to start up a business.

This amendment specifically targets young entrepreneurs and proactively reaches out to them, letting them know the immense resources that are available to them. This ensures our returning warfighters have the know-how to land firmly on their feet after they have honorably served our country.

Our veterans made every sacrifice necessary to defend liberty, justice and American values; and they deserve every chance at a fair shot at the American Dream. For that reason, the Veteran Business Centers provision has the support of both the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

I strongly urge passage of this amendment and the bill.

And I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield back.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1845) to amend the Small Business Act to modernize Small Business Development Centers, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1845, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in support of H.R. 1845, introduced by Representative Schock, which would modernize the Nation's Small Business Development Centers, and I would like to take the opportunity to commend the gentleman for his great work on this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, in today's challenging business environment, entrepreneurial assistance is a critical tool for the success of a small business. After all, even in good times, starting and running a small business is no easy lift. In fact, businesses that receive this kind of help are twice as likely to succeed.

During economic downturns, Small Business Development Centers are critical to help aspiring entrepreneurs get their ventures off the ground. The SBDC program is an important resource for both new entrepreneurs and more established small business owners. H.R. 1845 builds on this successful model, improving existing initiatives and giving entrepreneurs the tools they need to flourish.

In this bill, we streamline the SBDC program, taking important steps to develop new service offerings for small businesses. One example is the bill's access to capital program for aspiring entrepreneurs that need to secure capital and repair damaged credit. By connecting these entrepreneurs and displaced workers with seed money, this initiative will help get more ventures off the ground. For more established firms, this legislation will help businesses tap into the booming Federal marketplace.

Billions of stimulus dollars are now in play, making the Federal Government an even better customer for small businesses. In order to assist small firms in winning Federal contracts, this bill establishes a new procurement program. This will enable SBDCs to work with local agencies in identifying suitable small business contracts.

Mr. Speaker, SBDCs are important resources for expert information and business development assistance for small firms. This legislation will make sure they are running at full capacity, giving entrepreneurs powerful tools to invest in their own success. With a renewed emphasis on entrepreneurship, the Nation can emerge from the current recession stronger and more resilient. This bill is an important step in allowing that to happen, and I urge my colleagues to support its passage.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve my time.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, it is kind of ironic that the previous gentleman spoke about the impact of health care on small businesses, but for the 10- plus years that they were in the majority, we saw double digits in terms of premiums going up, and they didn't provide any vision, any leadership, any legislation to deal with the unsustainable health care costs that small businesses were suffering from.

And then, the gentlemen from Illinois, let me just remind him that last week we passed a bill, H.R. 3854, which provides $44 billion in financing and investment for small businesses. It is quite ironic that he comes to the floor to speak on small businesses and how we are impacting small businesses, but let me remind that, in the last 10 years, the other side, all they cared about was providing tax breaks for the wealthiest people in this country, not for small businesses. And, today, we are passing four bills under suspension. In fact, more bills than he passed in the years that he was the chairman of the Small Business Committee.

I welcome the debate on health care, and for that we will have time tomorrow.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I continue to reserve, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

As the designee for Mr. Polis, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my colleagues' amendment. I thank Representative Shuler, Representative Velazquez, and members of the Small Business Committee and their staff for bringing forward this legislation that will promote entrepreneurship at a time when our Nation needs it most.

As a former small business owner, I know that starting a new business is an exciting experience. I know also that with the steep learning curve involved in managing and building a business, all too important details are left unattended. It is these details, however, that can determine whether a business will succeed or fail.

The educational and networking programs established by this bill will help small business owners attend to these details with the assistance of dedicated professionals.

Each community and each business presents a unique set of challenges and rewards. By creating specialized Small Business Development Centers, the modest funds we allocate in this bill will yield strong results through targeted counseling and training. This amendment simply adds training on reducing operating expenses through energy savings to the existing list of educational programs under this bill.

Entrepreneurs will greatly benefit from targeted training on energy use, a detail that represents 19 percent of the cost of running a small business. This high recurring cost can be inconsistent, unpredictable, and fluctuate seasonally.

High energy costs in periods of reduced revenue can be a frustrating challenge for a small business--but it's also avoidable.

Many communities and utilities offer programs to help businesses reduce energy consumption and many also offer tax breaks and incentives to reduce energy use. Some of the incentive programs available include assistance in acquiring efficient office hardware and installing renewable energy projects, but they can also help business owners with simple solutions, such as installing fluorescent light bulbs, turning off unused equipment, and closing doors and windows.

However, as common sense as it may seem to turn off a light when not in use, during the intense activity of starting a new business, ordering inventory, and hiring new employees, the lack of attention paid to an open window can quickly morph from a harmless oversight to an expensive habit.

Mr. Chairman, I want to remind my colleagues that 19 percent paid for energy is 19 percent that is not being reinvested in the business. That is 19 percent less cushion a business owner has in the event of an economic downturn. Nineteen percent may seem small, but it could be smaller.

Energy, of course, is a necessary expense. Compared to good employees and quality projects, however, this expenditure yields marginal returns. There is a reason that our utility companies call us valued customers and don't call us wise investors. Imagine if that 19 percent could be 9 percent.

To put it a better way, what if we could offer entrepreneurs an additional 10 percent capital? That 10 percent of additional resources can be invested in aspects of the operation that generate revenue.

The accumulated cost savings from moving the thermostat just a few degrees and reinvesting those funds into the business over time can be the difference between new supplies, expanding, or hiring a new employee.

This amendment strengthens our investment in small businesses by helping them with low-cost ways to improve their operations and increase their profits. The most exciting aspect of small business is the spirit of entrepreneurship, but finding creative solutions to reduce costs and save energy are possible only when business owners are made aware of the opportunities available to them.

This amendment, by simply creating awareness of energy-saving techniques and programs, will help small businesses thrive. Reducing energy consumption is not only smart environmental policy, it is sound economic policy.

I ask my colleagues to support this amendment and this important bill. I once again thank Representative Shuler, Chairwoman Velazquez, and members of the Small Business Committee

I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield back the balance of my time.