Congresswoman Doris Matsui Supports Small Businesses
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
CONTACT: Alexis Marks or Mara Lee
(202) 225-7163
Honors National Small Business Week; Votes in Favor of Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act
Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-05) celebrated National Small Business Week by honoring Sacramento's small businesses, and by voting in favor of the Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act which passed the U.S. House of Representatives today. Small businesses are the cornerstone of our local economy, and nationally, create 60 to 80 percent of new jobs and are the key to our economic recovery.
Today, Congresswoman Matsui voted in favor of H.R. 2352, the Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act of 2009, which authorizes entrepreneurship programs aimed at spurring small business growth. A strong supporter of the bill, Congresswoman Matsui believes it is an important step toward securing further support for Sacramento small businesses.
H.R. 2352 authorizes $42 million for grants for FY10-FY11 in funding for the Small Business Administration (SBA's) Women's Business Center program that would be eligible for annual grants of $150,000 for five years, and then $100,000 for three years, and must meet certain performance standards to keep receiving grant funding. The bill also creates a "green entrepreneursandquot; grant program that authorizes $2.5 million annually for FY10-FY11 to provide classes and counseling for small businesses in the fields of energy efficiency and green technology.
Congresswoman Matsui encourages Sacramentans to use Small Business Week as an opportunity to celebrate and patronize the wide range of Sacramento's local businesses, including such iconic landmarks as Corti Brothers Italian Grocery Store. Founded in 1947 by current owner, Darrell Corti's, father and uncle, it continues to serve Sacramento residents in the same Folsom Boulevard location since 1970.
andquot;For 62 years, Corti Brothers has provided fine groceries to Sacramento consumers,andquot; said Darrell Corti. andquot;We continue to do this thanks to our devoted customers who continue to look to us for our exquisite products. We appreciate Congresswoman Matsui's support over the years."
In periods of economic difficulty, small businesses are often the hardest hit, with little room to make big cuts. Since last fall, the credit markets for SBA loans have frozen up and made it more difficult for small businesses to obtain credit to make payroll, purchase necessary equipment or to make ends meet. But in the last few months, Congresswoman Matsui has worked with the Obama Administration to ensure that small businesses have access to the credit they need to support an economic recovery.
"Small businesses have led our nation out of previous recessions," stated Representative Matsui. "While we still have a long way to go, President Obama and Congress have sent a clear message to America's small businesses: you are central to our economic recovery plan."
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