HEADS UP: Kerry to Speak on Republican Blocked Small Biz Bills - Approx 9:50 a.m.

Apr 24, 2008 (Congressional Documents and Publications/ContentWorks via COMTEX) -- SBCO | news | PowerRating | PR Charts -- Senator John Kerry will speak on the floor of the Senate this morning to call on the Republican leadership to stop blocking three bipartisan bills that would help America's 27 million small businesses. Kerry is expected to be on the Senate floor at approximately 9:50 a.m.

This week is National Small Business Week. As Chairman of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Senator Kerry has sponsored bipartisan legislation with Senator Snowe that has unanimously passed out of the Committee, but the Republican leadership has prevented the bills from full consideration in the Senate for almost one year.

The bills are:

*S. 1256, the Small Business Lending Reauthorization & Improvements Act of 2007 (passed Committee May 16, 2007)

*S. 1662, the Small Business Venture Capital Act of 2007 (passed Committee June 26, 2007)

*S. 1671, the Entrepreneurial Development Act (passed Committee June 26, 2007)

Combined, these bills could help more than 1 million small businesses, with credit, venture capital, or counseling. It makes no sense to block them when our economy needs the innovation and hard work of our small businesses more than ever. With 80,000 jobs lost in March alone, and almost 300,000 since January, there is no time to waste. Senator Kerry will call on the Senate to get these bills done because blocking them only hurts America's small businesses and our economy.

Kathryn Seck, Communications Director

U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

John F. Kerry, Chairman

428A Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Office: (202) 224-9431

Mobile: (202) 380-6508

Fax: (202) 224-5619

kathrynseck@small-bus.senate.gov

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