Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7334) to extend the statute of limitations for fraud by borrowers under certain COVID-19 economic injury disaster loan programs of the Small Business Administration, and for other purposes.

Madam 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 the measure under consideration.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7334, the COVID-19 EIDL Fraud Statute of Limitations Act of 2022, introduced by the ranking member, Mr. Luetkemeyer, and cosponsored by myself.

As with the PPP and Bank Fraud Enforcement Harmonization Act, this bill will extend the statute of limitations for COVID-19 EIDL fraud cases to 10 years to allow prosecutors more time to do their jobs. The bills are companion pieces of legislation and much-needed to help law enforcement investigate and bring fraud charges.

Congress amended the SBA disaster loan program at the start of the pandemic to allow small businesses facing economic injury due to COVID to apply for SBA disaster loans which were originally designed for natural disasters. At the same time, SBA lowered the guardrails and disbursed funds quickly to provide stability to the small business economy, which, as we all know, was facing unprecedented uncertainty in 2020.

In a very short time, the program went from one that responds to natural disasters in a few, distinct geographic areas, depending on the nature of the disaster, to one that was responding to a nationwide crisis almost overnight. Overall, the COVID EIDL program approved almost 4 million loans totaling over $378 billion.

The SBA administrator transitioned the program to the Office of Capital Access to dedicate additional management capacity. Since that transition, the office closed out a backlog of nearly 1 million applicants and increased loan officer productivity while improving the customer service experience and solidifying robust fraud controls. Nevertheless, throughout the pandemic, our committee held numerous oversight hearings with SBA's inspector general who testified that there is a great deal of potential fraud in this program, and it would be a decades-long effort to fully investigate.

The IG's office identified $78 billion in potentially fraudulent activity in the EIDL program as well as over $6 billion in loans and grants related to identity theft allegations. Given the degree of potential fraud, we need to give prosecutors more time to bring fraudsters to justice. This bill will give law enforcement the time needed to conduct their investigations of COVID EIDL fraud.

That is why I cosponsored this bill which will go a long way towards enhancing oversight and accountability.

Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member, Mr. Luetkemeyer, for introducing this important measure, and to the members of the Small Business Committee for unanimously approving this important piece of legislation.

I urge all Members to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, our Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies are diligently investigating and prosecuting pandemic loan fraud, and we must continue to support those efforts, whether in the COVID EIDL program or the Paycheck Protection Program.

We all agree that anyone who took advantage of this once-in-a- lifetime crisis to commit fraud and enrich themselves at the expense of hardworking Main Street businesses must be held accountable.

It is unacceptable to allow anyone to get off the hook for defrauding a government relief program simply because the statute of limitations expired. We cannot let this happen, and we must pass this bill.

Once again, I thank our Ranking Member, Mr. Luetkemeyer, for introducing this important measure, and I am pleased to support it.

I also thank all the members of the Small Business Committee for their bipartisan work on this bill, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5879) to amend the Small Business Act to clarify the application of the price evaluation preference for qualified HUBZone small business concerns to certain contracts, and for other purposes.

Madam 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 the measure under consideration.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5879, the HUBZone Price Evaluation Preference Clarification Act of 2021.

The HUBZone program is a contracting assistance program based on locality. It helps small businesses in urban and rural communities gain preferential access to Federal procurement opportunities. By ensuring that small businesses in disadvantaged communities participate in the Federal marketplace, it, in turn, boosts job creation and economic growth.

One of the main incentives of the HUBZone program is the price evaluation preference. This tool gives a slight competitive advantage to HUBZone firms competing against large companies. In doing so, it meets the objectives of the program because every contract awarded to a qualified HUBZone firm is an opportunity for developing and uplifting America's most distressed communities.

Unfortunately, this tool is not being used as often as it should be due to agencies misinterpreting that it does not apply to orders. There is nothing in the Small Business Act that excludes the price evaluation preference from being used at the ordering level, and it is our intention that it be used at that level.

Given the prevalence of government-wide and agency-wide vehicles, it is now necessary to state in clear and unequivocal terms that the price evaluation preference does apply to orders. This is precisely the goal of H.R. 5879. With this clarification, this legislation incentivizes the use of this important tool so that one day we can finally meet the 3 percent HUBZone contracting goal and, ultimately, bring economic development to those communities that need it the most.

I thank Representatives Newman and Salazar for leading this effort, which will bolster the HUBZone program.

Madam Speaker, I urge Members to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Newman).

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

The statutory goal of awarding 3 percent of all prime Federal contracts to HUBZone firms has never been met. H.R. 5879 will enable agencies to better meet this goal by eliminating all ambiguity and clarifying that the HUBZone price evaluation preference applies to orders.

I commend the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Newman), the sponsor of the bill, and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Salazar), the cosponsor, for working together on this sensible piece of legislation. H.R. 5879 will undoubtedly strengthen the HUBZone program which, in turn, will create jobs and stimulate local economies across the Nation.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7622) to amend the Small Business Act to include requirements relating to apprenticeship program assistance for small business development centers, and for other purposes.

Madam 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 the measure under consideration.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7622, the Small Business Workforce Pipeline Act of 2022, introduced by Mr. Crow and cosponsored by Mr. Fitzgerald.

H.R. 7622 allows small business development centers to disseminate information from the Department of Labor regarding job training programs like apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships, as well as other work-based learning opportunities.

Throughout the past year, small businesses have been hit hard by tightening labor markets, often struggling to compete with their larger counterparts. As the recovery continues, unemployment drops, and job openings grow to record heights, the smaller firms in our economy have found it harder than ever to recruit and retain qualified workers.

One of the most effective workforce training methods used in the U.S. today is the registered apprenticeship program, an earn-while-you-learn system that combines classroom instruction with on-the-job training. According to the Department of Labor, the average starting salary for a graduate of an apprenticeship program is $72,000, and businesses retain these employees at a rate of 92 percent.

Not only do apprenticeships provide a reliable pathway into the middle class for workers, but they also provide top-quality talent to the business that trained them.

With assistance provided by the SBDC network, more small firms will have access to resources to attract and retain high-quality talent, helping them both establish and improve these programs for their businesses while providing training opportunities and job security to workers.

I thank Mr. Crow for leading on this issue with a variety of hearings on the topic and for listening to witnesses as he worked to craft this legislation with Mr. Fitzgerald, Ms. Houlahan, and Mr. Garbarino. These bipartisan efforts will have a lasting impact on our Main Street firms.

I urge Members to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Crow).

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, there is no question that small firms are facing the most dire consequences of a tight labor market. At a time when the economy is recovering and businesses are seeking to expand their operations, lack of access to a highly skilled workforce can be frustrating to business owners and harmful to their recovery.

Maintaining economic competitiveness on the world stage means investing in our workforce, and nobody is better equipped to do that than the

small businesses fueling our economic recovery.

H.R. 7622 empowers SBDCs to expand workforce training resources to small employers struggling to find workers, which will, in turn, grow the skill sets of workers and the workforces of businesses.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7664) to amend the Small Business Act to include requirements relating to graduates of career and technical education programs or programs of study for small business development centers and women's business centers, and for other purposes.

Madam 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 the measure under consideration.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7664, the Supporting Small Business and Career and Technical Education Act of 2022, introduced by my colleague from Texas (Mr. Williams) and my colleague from Illinois (Ms. Newman).

After seeing massive layoffs in response to the pandemic, businesses are starting to expand their operations and grow their workforce. Unfortunately, this has created one of the tightest labor markets in U.S. history, and small firms are feeling this acutely.

Oftentimes, small businesses are not only faced with a shortage of applicants, but within that pool, they are seeing a shortage of applicants with the skill sets they need.

One of the best strategies for equipping students with skills needed to enter a market is career and technical education, or CTE. Aimed at secondary and postsecondary students, these programs don't replace academic training but, rather, expand upon it to give young people practical skills they can use, whether they enter the workforce or continue in their studies.

CTE programs can train students with a wide variety of skills in nearly every industry, and this program often works with local businesses to understand what skills are in demand to guide the curriculum.

This legislation directs small business development centers and women's business centers to assist small businesses in hiring graduates of CTE programs while also helping program graduates start their own businesses.

It takes a twofold approach of, one, creating a more adequate pipeline of trained young people for small businesses and, two, supporting those students who want to launch their own enterprise.

SBDCs and WBCs can help fill the gap between training programs and small firms by building awareness and fostering relationships between the private sector and our educational community.

Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Williams and Ms. Newman for their meaningful work on this bill. I urge Members to support this bipartisan piece of legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

Madam Speaker, while our economy continues to recover and job openings increase, it is important that we ensure there is an adequate pipeline of skilled workers in our small firms.

Fueling our economic recovery relies on them having the resources they need to thrive, including an adequate workforce. H.R. 7664 will go a long way in connecting small employers in need of workers to these programs and connect students to opportunities of launching their own firms.

I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams) and the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Newman) for their hard work on this bill.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7670) to amend the Small Business Act to require a report on small business concerns owned and controlled by women, and for other purposes.

Madam 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 the measure under consideration.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7670, the Women-Owned Small Business Program Transparency Act.

The Women-Owned Small Business program levels the playing field for female entrepreneurs who compete for Federal contracts. Additionally, it assists agencies in meeting the goal of awarding 5 percent of all contracts to women-owned small businesses.

While the program has steadily improved, it has faced its fair share of delays and challenges. For example, the program started operating 10 years after its enactment, and since its implementation 12 years ago, the 5 percent goal has only been met twice.

The Small Business Administration implemented a formal certification process for the program in 2020, more than 5 years after being required to do so by Congress. As a result, while the agency is making great strides, it still has a substantial backlog of applications and the implementation of corresponding regulations--especially when it comes to program examinations--remains to be seen.

The importance of the program to elevating women-owned small businesses in the Federal procurement arena makes it imperative to conduct oversight to ensure the program is meeting its legislative intent. H.R. 7670 will aid Congress in this endeavor by establishing reporting requirements to better assess the effectiveness of the program.

In particular, H.R. 7670 requires the SBA to report on multiple facets of the Women-Owned Small Business program, including the amount of contracting dollars awarded through the program, the number of certifications issued, the amount of program examinations conducted, and much more.

I thank the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Houlahan) and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Tenney) for their bipartisan work on this bill. H.R. 7670 is a commonsense piece of legislation that will bring transparency and accountability to the Women-Owned Small Business program.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Houlahan).

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, long after the enactment of the legislation to create the Women-Owned Small Business Program, women still face inequities when it comes to Federal contracting. The Women-Owned Small Business Program tries to address these inequities.

Today, we have the opportunity to further this mission through H.R. 7670. This bill creates a reporting requirement through which to measure whether the program is working as intended. I am certain that this oversight mechanism will lead to increased transparency, accountability, and efficiency to the benefit of our women-owned small business community. That is why I thank our committee members for their leadership in advancing this piece of legislation.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the

bill (H.R. 7694) to amend the Small Business Act to modify the requirements relating to the evaluation of the subcontracting plans of certain offerors, and for other purposes.

Madam 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 the measure under consideration.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7694, the Strengthening Subcontracting for Small Businesses Act of 2022. Subcontracting plans are an important mechanism for small business utilization. In fact, for many small businesses, subcontracting plans represent the only way to participate in Federal contracts. That is why the Small Business Act requires contractors to have subcontracting plans in certain situations.

For example, subcontracting plans are required for contracts that exceed certain thresholds, have subcontracting possibilities, and are awarded using negotiated procedures. While having these plans in place is an important first step, it will not make a difference if the prime does not implement them.

The Small Business Act has a provision that allows agencies to subject prime contractors to liquidated damages if they do not employ good faith efforts to meet the subcontracting plans. However, the standard is ambiguous and not always enforced. As a result, primes often face no consequences for failing to meet their subcontracting plans. That is simply unacceptable.

We must do more to ensure prime contractors comply with their subcontracting plans. This is precisely what H.R. 7694 does. It requires agencies to evaluate past performance in meeting subcontracting plans when considering offers for new contract awards. In other words, by making sure that previous compliance with these plans is taken into consideration when making new awards, it would encourage more compliance with subcontracting plans.

I thank Representative Stauber and Representative Mfume for leading this effort, which represents an innovative solution to a longstanding problem.

Madam Speaker, I urge Members to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Mfume).

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Maryland.

Madam Speaker, I would just say thank you to both gentlemen, Mr. Stauber and Mr. Mfume, for their hard work, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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

Madam Speaker, today I rise to celebrate the 90th birthday of Ms. Virginia Kee, a dedicated public servant, longtime constituent, and a dear friend. She is widely recognized, respected and a pillar of strength in New York City's Chinatown community. I met Ms. Kee three decades ago when I first ran for office. She welcomed me and helped me better understand the social, immigration and small businesses needs of the community. I realized that Ms. Kee and I were more alike than different and for that reason I am always grateful for her friendship.

As an Asian American woman, Virginia's experience with the systemic racism in her community helped forge her passion for social justice and strengthened her determination to break barriers. As a dedicated New York City public school teacher in the 1960's, Ms. Kee witnessed first- hand the poverty and disadvantages faced by Asian immigrant students and their families. She realized that the best weapon against poverty was education and she diligently worked to motivate students to learn and achieve. Virginia became actively engaged in the community after the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. An act that overhauled the immigration system and lifted the longstanding policy of limiting immigration based on national origin. This new policy opened the door for Asian immigrants with families living in the United States.

Ms. Kee was devoted to advancing the social and economic conditions of her community. As an advocate for children, she was instrumental in bringing the first Youth and Head

Start Program to Chinatown in 1965. In addition, to address the growing needs of Chinatown's Asian American low-income and immigrant communities she became the founding member of the Chinese American Planning Council (CPC), one the largest and most comprehensive organizations serving low-income Asian American families in the Northeast. Today, decades later, CPC serves more than 60,000 families annually and continues to deliver cultural and holistic services to New York City's expanding Asian community. Ms. Kee remains an active member of the Board.

Ms. Kee realized early that civic engagement and political participation were key to securing resources, making local decisions, and improving public services in her community. A pioneer both as a woman and an Asian American, she became one of the first Chinese Americans to be elected to party office in the Democratic Party. In 1980 she was a member of Governor James Hunt's Commission setting the rules for the Democratic Presidential Nominating Procedures. She fought for and achieved the inclusion of Asian American representation as delegates to the Democratic Party Presidential Convention. Her relentless efforts in community action have resulted in the empowerment of her community. In year 2000 she served as a member of the New York State Electoral College. She has been a strong voice for equitable representation by Asian Americans in all levels of government and voting rights in New York City.

Over the years Virginia has received numerous awards. She was recognized by the National Conference of Christians and Jews as one of their Fifty Extraordinary Women. United Federation of Teachers presented her an award for community service. Her alma mater, Hunter College of the City of New York inducted her into their Hall of Fame. In the aftermath of Abner Louima, she provided leadership on the Taskforce on Police and Community. She was a Member of the New York City Human Rights Commission and a champion against hate crimes and civil rights violations.

Ms. Virginia Kee's life, public service and love of her community is an example of a life well-lived serving others. Her poise, elegance and authenticity are admirable. Therefore, Madam Speaker, I ask that you rise with me today to honor and celebrate Ms. Virginia Kee's 90th Birthday.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6445) to amend the Small Business Act to require an annual report on entrepreneurial development programs, and for other purposes.

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 the measure under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I thank all of our members for their tireless work on the bills before us today. As we head into National Small Business Week, the legislation we are passing today showcases the bipartisan nature of our committee and highlights how Congress supports the American entrepreneurial spirit.

I rise today in support of H.R. 6445, the Small Business Development Center Improvement Act of 2022, introduced by Representative Golden from Maine and the late Representative Hagedorn from Minnesota.

I will take a moment to remember the late Representative Hagedorn and his work as a member of the Small Business Committee. Before and throughout his illness, Mr. Hagedorn maintained his steadfast commitment to small businesses. My thoughts continue to be with Mr. Hagedorn's family, friends, and staff.

Today's bill is a testament to his dedication to his community and small firms, and I am glad to honor his memory with this legislation.

H.R. 6445 strengthens SBA's largest resource partner, the Small Business Development Center, or SBDC, network, by modernizing the program to meet the needs of today's small businesses and entrepreneurs.

SBDCs deliver free face-to-face and virtual counseling and training in all aspects of business management to small business owners and entrepreneurs across the country. The services include: assisting entrepreneurs with developing a business plan, accessing capital, creating a marketing plan, procuring government contracts, strengthening cybersecurity protections, and entering into international trade.

Through their network of 62 lead centers, managing nearly 1,000 outreach locations, SBDCs assist small business owners and entrepreneurs throughout the country.

SBDCs are a remarkable investment of taxpayer dollars with every Federal dollar spent on the SBDC program generating $1.99 in Federal revenue, a nearly 100 percent return on investment.

To build on this success, H.R. 6445 increases the authorization level to $175 million for the next four fiscal years, allowing the program to grow and reach more of America's 30 million small firms.

The bill also clarifies that SBDCs, and the SBA, may actively market their services. In the Small Business Committee, we often say that SBDCs are the best-kept small business secret.

This bill will go a long way to ensuring more small employers and entrepreneurs are aware that free or low-cost counseling and training exists to help them on their path to success.

I thank the sponsors for leading this effort to modernize and improve the SBDC program and its many valuable services. I urge Members to support this bipartisan piece of legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

There is no question that we need to support the cornerstone of the SBA's entrepreneurial programs, the Small Business Development Centers. SBDCs are SBA's premier resource partner with centers in communities across the country. Their free or low-cost counseling and training have helped sustain small businesses and entrepreneurs throughout the pandemic.

H.R. 6445 continues the long tradition of SBDC's work to meet the ever-evolving needs of America's entrepreneurs as they emerge from the pandemic. Strengthening the SBDC network will, in turn, provide the support our small businesses need in order to thrive.

Today's bill is endorsed by America's SBDCs, an association representing the 63 SBDC networks and their nearly 1,000 centers.

I thank Mr. Golden and remember the late Mr. Hagedorn for their bipartisan work on this bill.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6441) to amend the Small Business Act to improve the women's business center program, and for other purposes.

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 the measure under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6441, the Women's Business Center Improvement Act of 2022. This bill will modernize and strengthen the Small Business Administration's Women's Business Center program to better serve America's women entrepreneurs and women-owned small businesses.

I thank Ms. Davids and Ms. Tenney for their meaningful work to ensure women entrepreneurs across the country have continued access to vital counseling and training.

WBCs are a critic component of SBA's Resource Partner ecosystem, assisting women in communities across the country, particularly those that are socially and economically disadvantaged.

The WBC program forms more than 130 centers nationwide and offers a full range of counseling and training services for all stages of business development. Many of the WBCs provide multilingual services, maintain evening and weekend hours to accommodate clients who work full time, and provide childcare.

In fiscal year 2020, with the additional funding provided by the CARES Act, the WBC program increased their reach by 22 percent and trained and advised more than 82,000 clients, helping them create nearly 30,000 small businesses.

As we all know, women were particularly hard-hit by the pandemic. Women-owned businesses closed at higher rates than their male counterparts as women disproportionately left the workforce to be the primary caregivers for their families.

That is why I am pleased to support the Women's Business Centers Improvement Act of 2022, which increases the program's annual authorization level and increases the cap on individual center grants. By doing so, more established centers can expand their reach to greater numbers of women.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support this bipartisan bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Kansas (Ms. Davids), the chair of the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Houlahan).

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

Women are vital members of the Nation's critical small business community and the American economy. H.R. 6441 will modernize and strengthen SBA's WBC program so it can meet the moment and provide the necessary resources to women, particularly the ones driven out of the workforce during the pandemic.

Not only have Ms. Davids and Ms. Tenney continued to work to improve the WBC program, but they have expanded upon our efforts last Congress by addressing the challenges highlighted during the public health emergency. I thank them for this effort.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6450) to amend the Small Business Act to reauthorize the SCORE program, and for other purposes.

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 the measure under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6450, the SCORE for Small Business Act of 2022.

America's nearly 30 million small businesses represent more than 99 percent of all businesses. Since its inception, the SBA has undertaken efforts to connect new entrepreneurs and small business owners with more experienced businessmen and -women.

SCORE, one component of SBA's resource partner ecosystem, is uniquely situated to make these connections. SCORE'S expansive network consists of entrepreneurs, business leaders, and executives who volunteer as mentors to small businesses and entrepreneurs, both in person and online.

SCORE volunteers provide personalized advice and pull from their personal business experience to help the next generation of business leaders. Providing consultation on topics such as business plan development, strategic marketing, and financing ideas, SCORE ensures their clients receive comprehensive counseling and training while meeting their individualized needs.

In 2020, through SCORE'S network of over 250 chapters and 10,000 volunteers, the program helped create over 45,000 new businesses and over 74,000 new jobs. In addition, SCORE had a return on Federal investment of over $67 for every $1 of Federal appropriations.

Increasing funding for SCORE is important to its continued success, and I am pleased that H.R. 6450 increases its authorization to $13.5 million for 2 fiscal years.

H.R. 6450 not only reauthorizes this essential program but also takes necessary steps to restore integrity, accounting, and performance to the program.

The measures in the bill to expand and promote client and volunteer diversity will ensure SCORE can reach all of America's small business owners and entrepreneurs, no matter their background or location.

I commend Representatives Young Kim and Angie Craig for working together to make sure that the SCORE program is strengthened while maintaining efficient and effective operations.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, the SCORE program has made good progress improving the transparency, accountability, and efficacy of their organization. Today's legislation builds upon that progress so that a critical program can succeed well into the future.

SCORE is unique among SBA's resource partners in that they connect clients directly with successful business mentors who have firsthand experience and knowledge to help them with their unique situations.

H.R. 6450 will expand SCORE's ability to reach more small business owners and entrepreneurs, particularly those in underserved and rural communities while maintaining the program improvements SCORE has worked hard to develop.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their bipartisan support of the SCORE program. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'', and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4877) to amend the Small Business Act to require the Small Business and Agriculture Regulatory Enforcement Ombudsman to create a centralized website for compliance guides, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4877, the One Stop Shop for Small Business Compliance Act of 2021, which will require SBA's Office of the National Ombudsman to maintain a centralized website for regulatory compliance guides.

Federal agencies are required by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act to publish small entity compliance guides for each rule requiring a regulatory flexibility analysis.

These compliance guides are meant to explain Federal rules in easy- to-understand terms for small businesses and help them comply with Federal regulations that protect our environment, health, and consumer safety. However, small businesses do not always have the resources to navigate multiple agencies' websites to find these guides.

H.R. 4877 will ensure the Office of the National Ombudsman maintains an updated centralized website containing links to each agency's small business compliance guides and their relevant points of contact.

This simple step will significantly reduce the administrative burden on entrepreneurs, make compliance easier, and allow them to spend more time doing what they do best--running their businesses and creating jobs.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representatives Delgado and Van Duyne for working in a bipartisan manner to advance this bill to assist small businesses across the country.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Delgado).

Mr. Speaker, in closing, small employers have experienced great hardships throughout the pandemic, but today we have the opportunity to make it easier, not harder, to comply with Federal regulations.

The ombudsman's centralized website will streamline the compliance process for small businesses and ensure they have the most accurate and updated information.

I thank the committee members for their diligence in advancing this piece of legislation. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'', and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6454) to clarify the primary functions and duties of the Office of Advocacy of the Small Business Administration, and for other purposes.

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 the measure under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6454, the Small Business Advocacy Improvements Act of 2022.

Established in 1976, SBA's Office of Advocacy is the independent voice for small businesses within the Federal Government. The office oversees the enforcement of the Regulatory Flexibility Act and is a source for statistics and research on matters pertaining to small businesses. Over the years, the Office of Advocacy's responsibilities have expanded, and participation in international regulatory cooperation and trade initiatives that impact small businesses is becoming increasingly important.

H.R. 6454 makes it clear that the Office of Advocacy has the authority to examine international economic data and represent small businesses in international discussions, particularly in trade negotiations.

I thank the ranking member and Mr. Carter for their bipartisan work on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, SBA's Office of Advocacy works to ensure that small business interests are heard at all levels of government because, too often, their voices are drowned out by larger companies with sophisticated legal departments and armies of lobbyists.

Now as the world becomes more and more connected, participating in the global economy is vital to small businesses' success. In order to do that, they need a strong voice advocating on their behalf. H.R. 6454 will allow the office to advocate on behalf of small businesses in international discussions, trade negotiations, and examine international economic data.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1033, I call up the bill (H.R. 3807) to amend the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to increase appropriations to the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

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. 3807.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3807, the Relief for Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act of 2022.

This bill will provide $42 billion to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and allocate $13 billion to launch a new industry- neutral relief program for the small businesses most impacted by the pandemic.

Last year, Congress created the RRF under the American Rescue Plan to provide targeted relief to struggling small restaurants. The program delivered emergency aid to over 100,000 employers in communities across the country. This grant was a critical lifeline and allowed businesses to keep their lights on and continue to pay their employees.

Despite the program's success, approximately 177,000 small businesses are still awaiting relief. While these companies are dispersed throughout the country, they are united by a common message: Small firms are still hurting, and they are counting on Congress for more support.

That is why we must act to replenish the RRF and deliver long-awaited aid to hundreds of thousands of restaurants across the country.

H.R. 3807 also takes the crucial step of creating a new $13 billion hard-hit industries award program, which will extend aid to businesses with the greatest revenue losses that were ineligible or unable to access relief through other means. Rather than picking winners and losers, this industry-neutral program makes hard-hit companies the priority.

These programs are offset by utilizing recovered money from fraud cases in the pandemic relief programs. Congress will take the money that was fraudulently obtained and put it in the hands of small businesses that need it the most.

The SBA OIG, the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, and

the Department of Justice are all working aggressively to investigate and prosecute instances of fraud and abuse, and this bill provides them with much-needed support. By allocating $30 million to oversight funding, today's legislation ensures these offices have the resources needed to pursue bad actors and reclaim money Congress intended to help small businesses.

Small employers and entrepreneurs are the backbone of our communities and economies, and they cannot be ignored. Without today's legislation, our local communities risk losing these critical job creators. We simply cannot ignore them in their time of need.

Members on both sides of the aisle have come together numerous times throughout the pandemic to pass legislation to support small firms. Today gives us the opportunity to do that once more.

I urge my colleagues to meet this moment and pass this bill so that these businesses can stop treading water and start looking to the future.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the distinguished House majority leader.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), the long-time champion of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.

Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Carter), a member of the Small Business Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu), a senior member of the Small Business Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Evans), a member of the Small Business Committee.

Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining on our side.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Correa).

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation because it is long overdue for our Federal laws to catch up with the legal reality in almost every State in the Union, and because Federal reform must place restorative justice as the top priority.

I thank Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Nadler, and my fellow chairs for once again bringing this legislation to the House floor.

Mr. Speaker, voters in States like New York have led the way in changing their cannabis laws, emphasizing restorative justice for our most marginalized communities. This bill takes a meaningful approach to undo the wrongs of the failed war on drugs by removing cannabis as a schedule I drug and encouraging States to expunge low-level possession records.

Importantly, the MORE Act also helps entrepreneurs access affordable capital to start a legitimate business, which too often is a barrier to entrepreneurship for people of color regardless of industry.

As chair of the Committee on Small Business, I am proud the MORE Act includes measures my colleagues and I championed to ensure SBA programs, like the flagship 7(a) Loan Program, the disaster loan program, and Small Business Development Center resources, are available to legitimate cannabis businesses. The MORE Act is the best proposal to ensure communities disproportionately impacted by the prohibition of cannabis are best positioned to profit from its legalization.

Mr. Speaker, for that reason, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Ms. Lillie Marshall who has dedicated much of her life in service to her Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY community. She was born on April 24, 1943, in Sparta, Georgia, to a family of community leaders in education, law and business. Five years out of Hancock Central High School, she moved to Red Hook, Brooklyn.

As a proud single mother of four, Ms. Lillie Marshall became known for her no-nonsense approach and commitment to the area children. She advocated for and arranged after-school programs for youth of all ages. When a private school was built in the neighborhood, she served on a committee that successfully secured annual scholarships for qualifying children of Red Hook public housing. She has watched over generations of families for decades.

Ms. Marshall fervently advocated for tenants in her twenty-year role as the Tenant Association President of Red Hook West. She met with NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA) executive and local leadership alike to give tenant perspectives and amplify their voices. Ms. Marshall also served on NYCHA's Citywide Council of Presidents as District Chair of Brooklyn South.

Ms. Marshall's efforts will long be remembered for her Thanksgiving turkey drives for local families, feeding the homeless, delivering meals and PPE to homebound seniors during the COVID-19 Pandemic. She has been a leader at events such as Red Hook Old Timers Day, National Night Out Against Crime and has organized Red Hook Family Day every year.

For her decades of leadership and volunteerism, Ms. Lillie Marshall will not soon be forgotten by her beloved Red Hook. Her legacy of life- long community service has instilled core values and civic pride in her community.