WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, released the following statement regarding Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke’s testimony today before the House Committee on the Budget:

“I’ve repeatedly urged President Bush and the SBA to improve access to credit for small business owners and, now Chairman Bernanke has come out strongly saying the same thing. The Administration doesn’t have to wait for a stimulus bill. There are steps they should be taking immediately to help alleviate the crisis being felt by Main Street. And when we do act on a stimulus package, I will be pushing for proposals like the provisions I introduced in September in my Small Business Lending Stabilization Act.”