Nydia Velázquez

I really appreciate Mr. Spano for offering this important amendment which will strengthen this program, reaching into communities impacted by natural disasters.

That is why I am proud to support today's bill to codify the CA program under the Small Business Act.

I have been critical of the 7(a) program because the portfolio basically shows that they are making the bigger loans, but loans less than $150,000 are the loans that are applied for by minority businesses and female business owners.

Many entrepreneurs, especially those from traditionally undeserved communities, have struggled to access affordable capital on reasonable terms.

I commend Representative Chu and Representative Spano for putting forth this legislation.

He has very aggressively, very well served as the Ranking Member of the Investigations, Oversight, and Regulations Subcommittee.

I would also call on Federal and state governments to do everything in their power to expand voting access.

I guess I would say: I've been there. I've stood in lines myself. And it's worth it.

This has become a widespread form of voter suppression in our country.

It is really critical that we ensure that communities of color, in particular, are adequately served by appropriate numbers of polling sites.

Sir, are you committed to work with me to make the changes that are necessary to put guardrails so that those businesses that are ineligible to access the PPP program will not be able to do so?

So, are you admitting that the executive order put out issued by the President was basically a PR stunt?

But, again, what type of changes are you going to make to the program so that we can really assist the small businesses that need it the most?

So to have a facility such as that, and out of the 14 loans, eight were made in Florida, two were made in Pennsylvania, so just--I just can't grasp how could we explain, given the need, that only 14 loans have been made.

Would you agree that stimulus checks and enhanced unemployment insurance benefits passed in CARES increase GDP and consumer spending, benefiting small businesses?

I would expect that SBA, when they review those loans and audit them, also will find those things on electronic basis.

Look. SBA just came out and stated that Latino businesses declined by 32 percent, and that black owners have seen nearly three times the decline of other owners.

So why is that? If the need is there, why only 14 loans when in the CARES Act we invested $75 billion?

To me, that's an economy that is working for the top, is working well for those at the top.

We have to make a commitment that we are going to use that money to provide access to those that were left behind.

The most vulnerable among us are being impacted--frontline workers, small businesses that cannot reopen safely, and Black and Latino populations.

Nothing is more important for restoring economic growth than improving public health.

It doesn't matter what you say if you what you said is undermined by the President of the United States.

So, we cannot expect to reopen the economy safely if the virus is spreading unchecked.

Do you have any data as to any complaints coming from individuals who feel that their rights have not been protected?