To provide for an additional temporary extension of programs under the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, January 12, I requested and received a leave of absence until January 27, 2010.

For the information of our colleagues and my constituents, below is how I would have voted on the following votes I missed during this time period.

On rollcall 1, Establishing a quorum in the House of Representatives for the Second Session of the 111th Congress, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 2, Disposing of the President's Veto of H.J. Res. 64 (H.J. Res. 64), I would have voted ``no.''

On rollcall 3, Honoring the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., (H. Res. 1002) I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 4, Supporting the initiatives of Chicago Wilderness and the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights (H. Res. 860), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 5, To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 101 West Highway 64 Bypass in Roper, North Carolina, as the ``E.V. Wilkins Post Office (H.R. 3892), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 6, Congratulating the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine for its 150 years of commitment to advancing science and improving health (H. Res. 1004), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 7, Congratulating the Penn State women's volleyball team on winning the 2009 NCAA Division I national championship (H. Res. 1015), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 8, Commending the University of Virginia men's soccer team for winning the 2009 Division I NCAA National Championship (H. Res. 991), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 9, Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on the Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 3254-Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act--H.R. 3342 Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act--and H.R. 1065-White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act of 2009 (H. Res. 1017), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 10, Castle Nugent National Historic Site Establishment Act of 2009 (H.R. 3726), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 11, Idaho Wilderness Water Resources Protection Act (H.R. 3254), I would have voted ``no.''

On rollcall 12, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act (H.R. 3254), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 13, Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act (H.R. 3342), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 14, White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act of 2009 (H.R. 1065), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 15, Expressing Condolences to and Solidarity with the People of Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating Earthquake of January 12th, 2010 (H.R. 1021), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 16, Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act (H.R. 730), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 17, Expressing support for designation of January 2010 as ``National Mentoring Month'' (H. Res. 990), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 18, Recognizing the importance of cervical health and of detecting cervical cancer during its earliest stages and supporting the goals and ideals of Cervical Health Awareness Month (H. Res. 1011), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 19, Expressing support for the designation of January 10, 2010, through January 16, 2010, as National Influenza Vaccination Week (H. Res. 1003), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 20, Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 4474--Idaho Wilderness Water Facilities Act--and H.R. 3726-Castle Nugent National Historic Site Establishment Act of 2010 (H. Res. 1038), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 21, Expressing support for designation of January as Poverty in America Awareness Month (H. Res. 1024), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 22, Idaho Wilderness Water Facilities Act (H.R. 4474), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 23, Castle Nugent National Historic Site Establishment Act of 2010 (H.R. 3726), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 24, To provide for an additional temporary extension of programs under the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 (H.R. 4508), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 25, Honoring the 95th anniversary of the signing of the Rocky Mountain National Park Act (H.R. 1020), I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, I rise in somewhat reluctant support of this legislation which temporarily, among other things, extends the Small Business Innovative Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs. The truth is that we should have reauthorized these programs long ago, and we should not be dragging this process out. But that is not a problem that we have in this Chamber. It is very, very important because SBIR and STTR are innovation programs which invest in small businesses, the ones best positioned to drive economic growth and to create new jobs.

Innovation is the key to resuscitating our ailing economy and to creating good, family-wage jobs for the American middle class. By investing in innovation, SBIR and STTR create more than good-paying jobs; they encourage the development of growth industries. And that, Madam Speaker, is what our Nation needs most.

AMGEN, Apple, Microsoft, and Research In Motion all started out as cutting-edge small businesses. These creative, high-tech companies spurred new industries, new jobs, new technologies that now employ hundreds of thousands of Americans.

By facilitating creative renewal, SBIR and STTR are not only helping guide our economy out of a recession, they are building our Nation's capacity to thrive in a very competitive global economy. SBIR and STTR have a proven track record of over 25 years' success in creating good- paying jobs in high-growth industries, and we must continue our commitment to these programs and reauthorize them immediately.

But we cannot continue to fuel the 21st century economy with 20th century programs. We must modernize SBIR and STTR so that they can meet their potential as innovation catalysts. Some of these improvements are simple, like making awards more reflective of today's technology development costs. Others, like ensuring that our most innovative companies are eligible for public investments regardless of their capital structure, require a more nuanced approach.

The Science and Technology Committee and the Small Business Committee, led by my colleague Chairwoman Velazquez, have been working hard with our Senate colleagues to strike the right balance for these improvements. We're not there yet, but I am confident that we will get there. In the meantime, we must pass today's temporary extension.

Madam Speaker, I urge support of this bill and its swift passage.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the chairwoman's request to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 4508. The bill is straightforward, and it's a clean extension that prolongs the authorization of all programs authorized by the Small Business Act, Small Business Investment Act, and any program operated by the Small Business Administration for which Congress has already appropriated the funds. This extension is going to last until April 30, 2010. This legislation is essential because authorization for various programs operated by the SBA expire on January 31 of this year.

Over the past 3 years, our committee has worked in a bipartisan fashion, reported out a number of bills to reauthorize and extend programs operated by the SBA. Despite our efforts to come to terms with the Senate over the broader reauthorization, the extension passed late last year will expire before the legislative process can run its course. Without enactment of this extension, a vital number of programs that the SBA operates would cease to function. Given the continued importance that small businesses play in the revitalization of the American economy, we simply cannot allow the SBA authorizations to run out.

The work needed to help America's entrepreneurs revitalize the economy simply cannot be accomplished within the time frame outlined in the current legislation. We not only need to reauthorize these critical programs, but also update them to respond to new economic conditions. The extra time contained in this legislation allows us to fully explore and implement the ideas that will give our Nation's entrepreneurs the tools they need to be successful.

Passage of this legislation will enable the House and the Senate to continually work in a conscientious manner to address the necessary changes to SBA programs. I urge all my colleagues to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 4508.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I would like to associate myself with the words of the gentleman from Oregon. It's not this Chamber's fault that we have to pass an extension. The reauthorization should be finished by now. I want to thank the chairwoman for all of her work in the committee and the work that we've been able to accomplish so far in the committee.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4508) to provide for an additional temporary extension of programs under the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

As we work to foster job growth, small businesses will be central to the equation. Time and again, when Americans face economic uncertainty, they respond with innovative ideas and new ventures. While larger companies are slower to reverse the trend and start hiring again, small firms are often more nimble and can lead us out of downturns more quickly.

For many dislocated workers, starting a new business can help pay the bills and even launch a new career. However, for entrepreneurs to fulfill their traditional role as job creators, they need the right tools.

The legislation before us today will extend programs at the SBA that help new businesses form and existing firms grow. This bill extends some of the agency's most valuable efforts. Reauthorizing certain capital access programs will help small businesses survive the credit crunch.

Earlier this year, the House passed legislation to strengthen those initiatives. We have also approved bills reauthorizing the Small Business Innovation Research initiative. However, before these measures are updated, they will have to be extended.

H.R. 4508 ensures these programs continue operating as we keep working with the Senate to fully update them. This bill is not a comprehensive reauthorization, but it does represent another step toward a more suitable solution.

Given the valuable role that small businesses play in our economy, we cannot afford any of the SBA services to lapse. I, therefore, urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to Mr. David Wu from Oregon.

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

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I regret that I was unavoidably absent Tuesday, January 26, and Wednesday, January 27, due to a death in my family. Had I been present for the nine votes which occurred, I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 990, rollcall vote No. 17; I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 1011, rollcall vote No. 18; I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 1003, rollcall vote No. 19; I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 1038, rollcall vote No. 20; I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 1024, rollcall vote No. 21; I would have voted ``aye'' on H.R. 4474, rollcall vote No. 22; I would have voted ``aye'' on H.R. 3726, rollcall vote No. 23; I would have voted ``aye'' on H.R. 4508, rollcall vote No. 24; and I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 1020, rollcall vote No. 25.