Ross Spano: “I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot) for those kind comments. I appreciate that very much. I rise today in…”

“I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot) for those kind comments. I appreciate that very much. I rise today in support of a bill I am proud to sponsor, H.R. 7903, legislation to improve and authorize the SBA's Community Advantage Loan Program. Small businesses are the driver of our communities, and now, more than ever, it is imperative for Congress to support them. In my home State of Florida, there are over 2.5 million small businesses employing over 3.5 million Floridians. As a former small business owner myself and as someone who will be a small business owner again very, very soon, I understand the sacrifice many small business owners make to keep their doors open and to meet their payrolls. I know the challenges that they face and the grit that it takes for them to persevere and the impact that they have on our communities. Among these challenges for many small businesses is acquiring the capital that is necessary to finance their operations. Many of the tools available at the SBA strive to increase access to capital for small businesses that are unable to receive it through conventional and traditional lending markets. One of these tools to support small businesses is the SBA's Community Advantage Loan Program, which was launched as a pilot program to assist small businesses in historically underserved and rural areas.…”