09/16/11 Thursday, Congressman Joe Donnelly joined Congressman Dan Boren (OK-2) in introducing legislation designed to promote small business growth. Donnelly is the chair and Boren is the vice chair of the Blue Dog Coalition’s Economic Growth Task Force, charged with creating a positive economic climate geared toward bolstering growth and promoting innovation.
“Economic growth is my number one concern right now—we must put people to work,” said Donnelly. “By extending two existing SBA programs, we would keep available to small businesses specific tools to invest, grow, and protect jobs. By improving The Small Business Act to increase small business procurement goals, we would set expectations a little higher for federal agencies to provide small business owners with greater opportunities and fewer barriers to providing products and services to their government. I am pleased to have worked with Congressman Boren and all of my colleagues in the Blue Dog Coalition on these common-sense, fiscally responsible ways to improve our economy.”
Congressman Boren added, “Small businesses are the economy’s number one job creator. The three bills introduced today by the Blue Dog Coalition will provide resources to small businesses that they can use to access capital, grow their operations, and increase employment. Blue Dogs are heeding the call from the American people for Congress to focus its attention on improving the economy and creating jobs. This legislative package rightly moves us in that direction. Going forward, I look forward to working with Congressman Donnelly and my fellow Blue Dogs on these measures and to advance other ideas to promote economic growth.”
Together with members of the Economic Growth Task Force and the larger Blue Dog Coalition, Donnelly and Boren introduced three bills that would promote small business job growth and stable financing. Their bills would provide small businesses with increased access to capital through larger SBAExpress loans; expanded opportunity to lock in long-term, stable financing; and increased access to government contracts. Thursday, the National Association of REALTORS announced their support for two of the bills in this package. Learn more about Donnelly’s bills here.
