WASHINGTON --- Late yesterday Congress passed a federal budget that provided $106 billion in tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans but eliminated a bipartisan amendment to return $78 million to the Small Business Administration (SBA). The amendment (SA.216) -- by Sens. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) and Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) -- passed the Senate with support of all 100 Senators last month but was later removed from the final legislation by the Republican Congressional leadership. Senator Kerry voted against the final bill.
“The Republicans only pay lip service to small businesses and manufacturers. How ironic that during National Small Business Week the Republican party has chosen tax favors for the wealthiest over programs that benefit America's small businesses and manufacturers," said Kerry, the top Democrat on the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. “To grow our economy and restore our eroding manufacturing sector, we should be increasing, not decreasing, assistance for small businesses and manufacturers.”
Since 2001, the SBA’s budget has been cut by 36 percent, more than any other federal agency. The eliminated bipartisan Kerry-Snowe amendment for the SBA would have restored:
§ $15 million to Microloan Technical Assistance (saved from elimination),
§ $2 million to the Microloan Program for $20 million in loans (saved from elimination),
§ $5 million to the Program for Investment in Micro-entrepreneurs (saved from elimination),
§ $3 million to Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) FAST (saved from elimination),
§ $1 million to the SBIR Rural Outreach Program (saved from elimination),
§ $21 million to the Small Business Development Centers (increased total to $109 million),
§ $10 million to procurement center representatives (increased total to est. $15.5 million),
§ $7.7 million to the HUBZone program (increased total to $10 million),
§ $4.5 million to the Women’s Business Centers Program (increased total to $16.5 million),
§ $3.5 million to Export Assistance Centers Program (increased total to $5 million),
§ $2 million to the SCORE program (increased total to $7 million),
§ $1.25 million to the Veterans’ Outreach Program (increased total to $2 million),
§ $500,000 to the 7(j) program (increased total to $2.5 million),
§ $700,000 to Native American outreach (increased total to $1.5 million),
§ $500,000 to the Office of the National Ombudsman (increased total to $1 million), and
§ $300,000 to the Office of Advocacy Research (increased total to 1.6 million).
In addition, the budget targets programs that help small manufacturers by cutting $62 million (57 percent) from the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) and eliminating the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) at the Department of Commerce.
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“The Republicans only pay lip service to small businesses and manufacturers. How ironic that during National Small Business Week the Republican party has chosen tax favors for the wealthiest over programs that benefit America's small businesses and manufacturers," said Kerry, the top Democrat on the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. “To grow our economy and restore our eroding manufacturing sector, we should be increasing, not decreasing, assistance for small businesses and manufacturers.”
Since 2001, the SBA’s budget has been cut by 36 percent, more than any other federal agency. The eliminated bipartisan Kerry-Snowe amendment for the SBA would have restored:
§ $15 million to Microloan Technical Assistance (saved from elimination),
§ $2 million to the Microloan Program for $20 million in loans (saved from elimination),
§ $5 million to the Program for Investment in Micro-entrepreneurs (saved from elimination),
§ $3 million to Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) FAST (saved from elimination),
§ $1 million to the SBIR Rural Outreach Program (saved from elimination),
§ $21 million to the Small Business Development Centers (increased total to $109 million),
§ $10 million to procurement center representatives (increased total to est. $15.5 million),
§ $7.7 million to the HUBZone program (increased total to $10 million),
§ $4.5 million to the Women’s Business Centers Program (increased total to $16.5 million),
§ $3.5 million to Export Assistance Centers Program (increased total to $5 million),
§ $2 million to the SCORE program (increased total to $7 million),
§ $1.25 million to the Veterans’ Outreach Program (increased total to $2 million),
§ $500,000 to the 7(j) program (increased total to $2.5 million),
§ $700,000 to Native American outreach (increased total to $1.5 million),
§ $500,000 to the Office of the National Ombudsman (increased total to $1 million), and
§ $300,000 to the Office of Advocacy Research (increased total to 1.6 million).
In addition, the budget targets programs that help small manufacturers by cutting $62 million (57 percent) from the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) and eliminating the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) at the Department of Commerce.
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