I was here when President Reagan was elected, and we were facing very severe circumstances, and we had 10.6, 10.8 percent unemployment.

The problem with the recession, and I hear this from small businesses, probably more than anything last year by the way, more than anything, was the lack of availability of credit because the value of their collateral had gone down.

If we matched the recovery during the Reagan years, we would have had approximately 16 million jobs created.

It is important to note, however, Treasury estimates that $4 billion invested in community banks will lead to small business lending ranging from $9 billion to $16 billion over the next two years.

What we are desperately trying to do is to provide support for small businesses.

It needs to be a bipartisan, bicameral bill.

We are facing the worst post-recession recovery in the history of our country.

Go down to Main Street and ask them what they are talking about.

I do agree with Senator Snowe, although we disagree about other aspects of the bill before us, that giving some long-term stability and relief in the tax code is important.

I just want to get that straight for the record.

We have to overcome a filibuster, get it done.

It is actually a tax on income over a million, and I just want to get that straight.

I share Senator Snowe's frustration in that part.

I am hearing from everybody, regardless of size, and that is all I am indicating to you, Mr. Secretary.

The bottom line is this: All Small Business Lending Fund banks, whether they receive TARP or not, must increase loans to small business to keep their rates low.

It requires a sense of urgency in addressing those issues.

It cannot be done by Congress alone. It should be the President and the Congress working together, both branches.

People cannot wait. There have been too many faulty assumptions and miscalculations, and regrettably, the burden of which has now been borne by so many unemployed people.

I come to the floor today to speak on an issue that is of great importance to my home State of Louisiana: international trade. From its founding, Louisiana has been a hub for trade and entrepreneurship. In fact, the French explorer…

today the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship favorably reported out the President's nomination of Dr. Winslow Lorenzo Sargeant to serve as Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration. I am pleased…

I want the record to show that the Federal Government responded significantly after that flood of 1927.

Do you have any estimates of what it costs to put projects like that on hold?

When do you think those estimates will come in?

If we had a major earthquake?

But after the fiscal year, no. We would have to go back into immediate needs funding to be able to continue providing individual assistance.