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Statement of the Hon. Nydia M. Velazquez on 4/30/25 Markup

| Posted in Statements

Let me begin by saying, that the timing and content of this mark-up is ill conceived. We are in the midst of reconciliation, and a vast majority of our members cannot attend due to conflicts. It doesn’t make sense to move controversial bills without giving all members a fair opportunity to participate and offer amendments. Aside from the member conflicts, these bills, which put major organizationa...

Committee Republicans Push Partisan SBA Agenda While Small Businesses Get Left Behind

| Posted in Committee News

WASHINGTON – Today, Republicans on the House Small Business Committee pushed through a slate of controversial, unvetted bills that ignore the real challenges facing entrepreneurs and small firms. While small businesses struggle with rising prices and the fallout from Trump’s reckless tariff policies, Republicans advanced seven bills that have not received any hearing, testimony, or basic vetting. ...

Ranking Member Velázquez Leads House Democrats in Urging Trump Admin to Protect Small Businesses from Tariff Chaos

| Posted in Press Releases

Today, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee, led 68 House Democrats in calling on the Trump administration to protect small businesses from the fallout of its escalating trade war. “Taxes on imported goods hit small businesses the hardest, with 88 percent of small firms relying on imports for the goods they produce and sell. These companies ...

Velázquez Demands Trump Administration Abandon Plan to Shift Student Loans to SBA

| Posted in Press Releases

WASHINGTON- Today, House Small Business Committee Ranking Member Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) sent a letter to President Donald Trump and Secretary of Education Linda McMahon raising alarm over the administration’s plans to transfer the Department of Education’s (DOE) $1.6 trillion federal student loan portfolio to the Small Business Administration (SBA). In the letter, Velázquez warned that the move...

Velázquez Highlights Need for Tax System Geared Toward Small Businesses During Committee Hearing

| Posted in Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Today, the House Small Business Committee held a hearing examining how tax policy impacts American small businesses. During the hearing, Ranking Member Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) underscored the need for a fairer tax system that supports small firms rather than prioritizing large corporations and the wealthy. “Main Street businesses form the bedrock of our nation’s economy, driving inn...

Velázquez Presses for Increase Equitable Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs

| Posted in Press Releases

WASHINGTON– Today, the House Small Business Committee held a hearing on how private investment, including through the SBA’s Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program, supports small business growth. Ranking Member Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) focused on the need to ensure private capital is accessible to all entrepreneurs—not just those in major markets or with existing networks. “Financing and a...

Ranking Member Velázquez Calls Out Trump Admin for Creating Chaos for Small Businesses

| Posted in Press Releases

WASHINGTON- Today, the House Small Business Committee held a hearing titled “The Golden Age: Unleashing Main Street Through Deregulation”. During the hearing, Ranking Member Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) criticized the Trump Administration for promoting policies that have created widespread confusion and harm for small businesses across the country. “Some may argue that the ‘golden age of deregulation...

Ranking Member Velázquez Denounces Trump’s SBA Student Loan Takeover

| Posted in Press Releases

WASHINGTON– Today, Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) released the following statement after President Trump announced that the Small Business Administration (SBA) will take over management of the federal government’s student loan portfolio, following the dismantling of the Department of Education: “Trump’s decision to shift responsibility over the federal government’s approximately $1.6 trillion stud...

Velázquez Leads Democrats in Demand for Answers on SBA’s Sudden Regional Office Relocations

| Posted in Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee, led committee members and other House Democrats in sending a letter to the Small Business Administration (SBA), raising serious concerns about the abrupt decision to relocate six SBA regional offices. On March 6th, SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced plans to relocate regional offices i...

Ranking Member Velázquez Statement on February Jobs Report

| Posted in Press Releases

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 February jobs report: “The February jobs report flashes warning signs for the Trump economy. Job growth slowed more than expected, showing the economic uncertainty caused by the administration’s reckless trade policies and a...

Ranking Member Velázquez Applauds Committee Passage of Seven Bipartisan Small Business Bills

| Posted in Press Releases

WASHINGTON- Today, the House Small Business Committee passed seven bipartisan bills aimed at expanding opportunities for small businesses, improving federal contracting transparency, helping entrepreneurs with disabilities, and strengthening workforce pipelines to support entrepreneurs and workers. “These bills address critical gaps in SBA programs to ensure small firms have a fair shot at federal...

House Passes Seven Bipartisan Small Business Bills

| Posted in Press Releases

WASHINGTON– The House passed seven bipartisan small business bills, including legislation to prevent fraudsters from participating in SBA programs, expand opportunities for small firms in government contracting, support veteran entrepreneurs, and improve access to disaster assistance for rural small businesses. “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and today, the House took bipartisan...

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