Nydia Velázquez

These families are already stretched thin due to the pandemic, illness, trauma, and low wages.

Well, sir, the numbers showed otherwise, and those numbers change in LMI communities when we worked and brought in mission-based lenders such as CDFIs, CDCs, micro lenders.

Well, I do have the numbers. I do have the data because I am the Chair of the Small Business Committee, and I work with the SBA.

Do you want me to make drugs or fix issues? I don't have time to do both.

The staffing plans presented seem inadequate.

Employees are not given training in the particular operations they perform as part of their function.

Unfortunately, Mr. Quarles, the report also points out that many small businesses and households remain financially drained.

I have a responsibility, and we all have a responsibility to protect ourselves and to protect our staff.

Modern-day redlining has left communities of color with limited access to much-needed financial services, so policymakers must act with urgency to address these issues.

One of my top priorities for the upcoming reauthorization is to improve participation of minority and disadvantaged persons in the program.

Increasing the number of women and minorities who participate in the SBIR/STTR program is a top priority of mine.

Twenty-eight percent of all of the Main Street businesses around the country are owned by immigrants.

Elections have consequences, and we can start discussing the fact that today more than 120 million Americans, roughly, a third of the population, have received at least one vaccine dose.

I hope the Committee will give a full and fair hearing to their respective pieces of legislation on the future of Puerto Rico's political status.

Congress has a moral obligation to act promptly.

Congress has a moral obligation to let the people of Puerto Rico decide their own self-determination process.

Congress has a moral obligation to act.

We recognize there are some in Congress, such as Rep. Nydia Velazquez (NY) and Sen. Robert Menendez (NJ), who oppose statehood for Puerto Rico.

This is a most important process in our relationship of the United States keeping a colony for 123 years; that it is our responsibility to provide a process for the people to determine their own political future.

It includes a transition plan.

The government will use public funds to hold this special election at a time when Puerto Rico continues to face a financial crisis

We want to make sure that not only the wealthiest 1 percent... have the opportunity to be engaged and participate democratically

This is decolonization, and we have a moral obligation to provide whatever it takes for the people of Puerto Rico

The Department of Justice rejected the 2017 and 2020 referendum citing the Obama Task Force before had stated that excluding options won't call into question the legitimacy of any referendum.

If you are so assured that the outcome is going to be statehood, why then oppose a process that is inclusive, that is transparent, and that is democratic.