On Thursday, October 2, 2025, Ranking Member Nydia M Velázquez (D-NY) sent a letter to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator, Kelly Loeffler, in response to reports that the SBA is using taxpayers’ dollars to promote partisan activities that could potentially violate the Hatch Act, and other federal laws. Rep. Velázquez demanded that the agency cease directing or encouraging e... Read More »
WASHINGTON- The Federal Acquisition Regulation Council released new changes to the main small business section of the government’s contracting regulations, retaining a key policy that allows small businesses to enter, compete, and have success in the federal marketplace. “Despite the Administration’s efforts to rewrite the government’s procurement rules without transparency, accountability and sma... Read More »
WASHINGTON – House Committee on Small Business Ranking Member Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Chairman Roger Williams (R-TX), House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Brian Babin (R-TX), and Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) issued the following statement as the SBIR and STTR programs are set to expire at midnight: “We are disappointed that the Senate failed to extend the SBIR and STTR p... Read More »
WASHINGTON – Today, the House Small Business Committee held a full committee hearing titled “Streaming Success: Small Businesses in the Age of Digital Influence” to examine how content creators are building businesses, the barriers they face, and the broader economic impact of the creator economy Ranking Member Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) emphasized the importance of adapting federal policy to meet ... Read More »
WASHINGTON – Today, the House of Representatives voted to advance a bipartisan bill to extend the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs through the fiscal year. For over forty years, these initiatives have enabled entrepreneurs to transform bold ideas into cutting-edge technologies while delivering significant value for taxpayers. Without ... Read More »
WASHINGTON – Today, the House Committee on Small Business voted to advance a bipartisan bill to extend the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs through the fiscal year. SBIR and STTR have a four-decade track record of fueling groundbreaking innovation by small firms and delivering strong return on investment for taxpayers. The programs ar... Read More »
WASHINGTON D.C.- Today, Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee, issued the following statement after the Labor Department released its August jobs report: “Today’s Jobs Report reveals an alarming truth. This downturn is a direct consequence of illegal tariffs, soaring inflation, and the decline of the immigrant workforce, policies pushed by the Trump a... Read More »
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the House Small Business Committee held a hearing titled “Wired for Growth: How Expanding Broadband Can Revitalize Rural Small Businesses.” During the hearing, Ranking Member Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) highlighted how broadband access is critical to the success of rural entrepreneurs and helps ensure rural small businesses can compete on a level playing field. “Rural small b... Read More »
WASHINGTON– Today, Ranking Member Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) released the following statement regarding the July Producer Price Index (PPI) report: “Today’s report reflects the reality that small businesses across the United States are feeling. Prices for critical products are going up and Main Street is being squeezed by Donald Trump’s tariffs. Today’s PPI reading shows that wholesale prices are r... Read More »
WASHINGTON– Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee, has sent a letter to SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler raising serious concerns over the agency’s decision to grant expedited access to sensitive SBA systems for operatives tied to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). According to the letter, senior SBA officials authorized broad sy... Read More »
WASHINGTON — Today, Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee, issued the following statement on the Small Business Administration’s recent actions targeting the 8(a) Business Development Program: “The SBA’s decision to target the use of a key small business contracting program and pressure federal agencies is deeply disappointing. This move strays from t... Read More »
WASHINGTON– Today, Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee, issued the following statement after the Labor Department released its July jobs report: “Today’s jobs report flashes a bright red warning sign for our economy. Unemployment is up, job growth has slowed across nearly every sector, and revised figures show the past three months were the weakest ... Read More »
WASHINGTON - Today, the House Small Business Committee passed a series of bipartisan bills to combat fraud in federal programs, strengthen SBA oversight and IT modernization, and expand access to capital in rural and underserved communities. Ranking Member Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) praised the collaborative work that brought the legislation forward. “These bipartisan bills reflect a shared commitm... Read More »
WASHINGTON — Today, Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee, announced the endorsement of her legislation, the Protecting Small Business Competitions Act, by a broad coalition of hundreds of small businesses and stakeholder groups representing thousands of small businesses across the country. “As Ranking Member of the Small Business Committee, I frequen... Read More »
WASHINGTON – Today, at a House Small Business Committee hearing titled “Securing America’s Mineral Future: Unlocking the Economic Value Beneath Our Feet,” Democratic Members called for a balanced approach to securing critical minerals, which are essential to clean energy, national defense, and small business innovation. In a prepared statement, Ranking Member Nydia M. Velázquez emphasized that min... Read More »
