Nydia M. Velazquez: “Mr. Chairman, we are now barely over a month away from hurricane season. Many small businesses have been struggling for…”

“Mr. Chairman, we are now barely over a month away from hurricane season. Many small businesses have been struggling for a year and half to recover after the gulf coast storms of 2005. Following the hurricanes, delays in disaster loans, overwhelming amounts of paperwork and a lengthy application process left many small business owners frustrated and discouraged. In fact, entrepreneurs avoided what is supposed to be their primary source of assistance, the SBA. Our Nation's 25 million small businesses need to know that the next time a disaster happens they will not be left with nothing, but will have efficient and reliable assistance. They need to know that what happened after the gulf coast hurricanes will not ever happen again. The RECOVER Act of 2007 will require that the SBA have a disaster plan in place, provides assistance to the neediest of entrepreneurs and helps in the redevelopment of the community. H.R. 1361 will given entrepreneurs the relief and assistance they deserve after a disaster. With 44 days left till hurricane season, we simply cannot afford not to act.”