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Velzquez on Harvey and SBA

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Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), the Ranking Democrat on the House Small Business Committee, released the following statement regarding Hurricane Harvey and damage in Texas:              “All Americans stand united with the residents of Houston, southeast Texas and all those affected by Harvey.            …

Velzquez on Disbandment of Economic Councils

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Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), the top Democrat on the House Small Business Committee, released the following statement regarding news that the President is disbanding two of his Economic Councils:              “American entrepreneurs understand that our diversity is our strength and that the President’s statements regarding…

Velzquez, Gonzlez-Colon Seek Greater SBA Investment in Puerto Rico

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Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) and Rep. Jenniffer González-Colon, the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, have written the head of the Small Business Administration (SBA) expressing the need to expand contracting opportunities for small businesses in Puerto Rico. Amidst the turmoil of bankruptcy, the letter urges SBA to help small firms operating there to participate…

Democrats Promote Cybersecurity for Small Firms

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As Russia’s hacking of America’s electoral process continues dominating headlines, Democrats on the House Small Business Committee today examined solutions to tackle the alarming rise of cyberattacks on small businesses. In particular, the hearing examined the burgeoning cyber insurance industry, which can help small companies to prepare for and recover from…

Statement: Protecting Small Businesses from Cyber Attacks: the Cybersecurity Insurance Option

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STATEMENT The Honorable Nydia M. Velazquez Committee on Small Business  “Protecting Small Businesses from Cyber Attacks: the Cybersecurity Insurance Option” July 26, 2017, 11:00am Room 2360 of the Rayburn House Office Building The Internet has undoubtedly transformed the way small businesses operate. E-commerce empowers America’s 28 million small businesses a…

Democrats Call for Solutions to Rural Health Care Shortage

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At a hearing before the House Small Business Subcommittees on Agriculture, Energy, and Trade and Health and Technology, Democrats took a hard look at the health care provider shortage plaguing rural America. While existing providers are often a robust source of local job and economic growth, physicians are increasingly flocking to urban areas. By deploying groundbreaking new technologies,…

Key Lawmakers Move to Improve HUBZone Program

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Bipartisan leadership of the House Small Business Committee today unveiled legislation to improve and reform the Historically Underutilized Business Zone Program (HUBZone), a procurement initiative that provides federal assistance to firms in economically distressed areas.  Created in 1998, the HUBZone helps small companies in these areas to do business with the federal government.…

Democrats Seek Solutions to Decline in Entrepreneurship

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During a hearing of the House Small Business Committee today, Democrats on the panel pressed for policy improvements that would help reverse a decades-long reduction in entrepreneurship.  While business starts have seen an uptick in recent years, overall business formation has been declining since the 1970s, resulting in fewer new, fast-growing firms that are responsible for most net…

House Approves Velzquez Measure Protecting Small Construction Firms

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The U.S. House of Representatives today passed an amendment offered by Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) aimed at providing better payment protections for small construction firms operating in the federal marketplace.  The provision, which was incorporated into a larger defense authorization bill, adds the threshold for construction contracts that must be bonded under the Miller…

Small Business Democrats Seek to Spur Puerto Rico Growth

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A hearing before the House Small Business Committee today probed how to reignite small business growth on the economically troubled island of Puerto Rico. With Puerto Rico currently suffering from more than 12% unemployment and a loss of more than 250,000 jobs since 2006, Democratic lawmakers examined how procurement policy can be leveraged to stimulate small business job growth in the…

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