Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act of 2018

Floor Speech

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Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1702, the Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act of 2018.

I want to thank my colleague, Congressman Blum of Iowa, for working with me to help American small businesses via this critical Small Business Development Centers bill.

The small business development centers provide assistance in Philadelphia and nationwide to small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs throughout the United States and its territories. SBDCs help entrepreneurs from Ogontz Avenue to Broad Street to realize the dream of owning a business and help existing businesses remain competitive in a complex, ever-changing global marketplace.

SBDCs are hosted by leading universities and State economic development agencies and funded, in part, through a partnership with SBA. SBA advisers provide aspiring and current small-business owners a variety of free business counseling and low-cost training centers and business development plans, manufacturing assistance, financial packaging, lending assistance, exporting and importing support, disaster recovery assistance, procurement and contracting aid, market research help and program support, and healthcare guidance.

Mr. Speaker, last week, at the Enterprise Center Minority Business Development Center in Philadelphia, run by an incredibly capable woman by the name of Della Clark, I had the honor of hosting the gentlewoman from New York, Ranking Member Velazquez, at a roundtable for women entrepreneurs.

I want to take a moment to thank the participants, the audience, and the community, as this is the type of collaboration necessary to ensure that we use small businesses and the SBDCs as another tool in the toolbox to help revitalize our city and remake it. Roundtables like those last week in Philadelphia are where entrepreneurs can share information, resources, and expertise, like background on small business development centers, with those who may not be aware of them.

Access to capital is key for entrepreneurs in Philadelphia that look to start new business ventures and expand existing ones. Economic development, both long- and short-term, is a by-product of small businesses receiving affordable financing to help them create jobs in their local communities.

This is an example of small business firms utilizing other financial programs, but this is where SBDCs are so critical because they help us make the connection to financing that otherwise would be missing. Traditional lending sources often ignore many communities around the country, resulting in small business utilization of other financial programs.

SBDCs began in 1976 with only eight participating universities. In fiscal year 2017, 188,225 entrepreneurs now receive business consulting, over 245,000 entrepreneurs are trained, and 14 million new businesses were created because of SBDCs.

Sometimes small businesses will utilize traditional sources such as their local banks, but many small bank owners will attest, sometimes avenues are not available, and that is where the SBA can be a lifesaver. Among the improvements we can make, we can work to make SBDCs better through the grants, loans, and other assistance to make SBDCs the garage of today, so that when an entrepreneur from North Philly has a dream, guts, and moxie to walk into one, they are not laughed at and turned away or spurned away. Let's face it: many of the people who have that dream and inspiration are not experts at spreadsheets, invoice management, and contract jargon.

This is a goal, as a member of this important committee, to ensure that any American can use the SBDC as a garage, like the Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Angela Riches of the world. Mr. Speaker, that is what the American Dream is all about.

I look forward to working with my colleague, Congressman Blum, and other members of the committee. I especially want to thank all of the members of the committee working together because, when areas such as North Philly, West Philly, South Philly, Narberth, Bala Cynwyd, or Ardmore have investment and capital needs, they know where to go and whom to ask for the SBA assistance.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, and I encourage them to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1702.

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