WASHINGTON – Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., Chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, today made the following remarks after the White House’s launch of the “Startup America” Initiative.
“Creating high-paying, private-sector jobs is a top priority,” said Senator Landrieu. “Some of the most innovative ideas have come from small businesses and the ‘Startup America’ Initiative’s goal is to make sure that these potential success stories do not fall by the wayside. The mom and pop stores that line Main Street today could be the Fortune 500 businesses of tomorrow, and we need to foster this type of positive growth where possible.
“I strongly support the Administration’s efforts to further their investment in America’s entrepreneurs, and I will continue to work with my colleagues in the Senate to boost existing programs, allowing small businesses to expand their job force.
“Working with Senator Snowe, I am committed to re-authorizing and improving the two largest federal research and development programs for small businesses, SBIR and STTR. We will also continue our efforts to expand access to affordable, high-speed internet across the country, with a focus on the rural and hard-to-reach areas that need access to help entrepreneurs start and grow businesses and create jobs.”
The “Startup America” Initiative, announced by the Obama Administration today, is a collaboration of entrepreneurs, corporations, universities, and foundations working together to jumpstart the success of America’s entrepreneurs. According to the White House, the initiatives announced today are uniting a range of public and private commitments to:
- Expand access to capital for high-growth startups throughout the country;
- Expand entrepreneurship education and mentorship programs that empower more Americans not just to get a job, but to create jobs;
- Strengthen commercialization of the $148 billion in annual federally-funded research and development, which can generate innovative startups and entirely new industries;
- Identify and remove unnecessary barriers to high-growth startups; and
- Expand collaborations between large companies and startups.
For more information on the “Startup America” Initiative, please click here.
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