On the recordMarch 25, 2010
as Chair of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I am pleased to join the Committee's Ranking Member, Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine, and my distinguished colleague from Illinois, Senator Richard Durbin, in introducing the Small Business Community Partners Relief Act of 2010. This bi-partisan legislation will provide much-needed relief to Women's Business Centers, WBCs, and SBA Microloan intermediaries--two Small Business Administration, SBA, resource partners that provide critical assistance to our Nation's 29 million small businesses. For my colleagues who may not be familiar with these programs, let me first explain the vital role of WBCs and Microloan intermediaries and the importance of aiding the small businesses these centers target. Women's Business Centers provide quality counseling and training services to all entrepreneurs, primarily women, and especially those who are socially and economically disadvantaged. More than 110 centers across the country help more than 150,000 clients annually on a vast array of topics--from how to write a business plan to where to get financing. Many WBCs provide multilingual services and a number offer daycare services, allowing mothers with children to attend training classes. Microloan intermediaries provide small, short-term loans to start-ups or small growing firms that cannot access credit through traditional loan programs.
