Step Improvement Act of 2022

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, the State Trade Expansion Program Improvement Act.

This bill would reauthorize STEP for 4 more years and improve it in several ways, including creating a standardized application process and collecting performance metrics.

As a member of both the Small Business Committee and the Ways and Means Committee, I see trade as a tool in the economic toolbox to help small businesses expand and grow.

Since 2011, STEP has been assisting small businesses with export development through the use of grants and introduction into the international marketplace.

Trade helps to create and support jobs, which is good for the economy, community, and families in Pennsylvania. Over 1.5 million jobs were supported by international trade in 2019, which accounted for 20 percent of all jobs in the State.

Further, in 2020, nearly 15,000 companies exported goods from Pennsylvania of which 88 percent were small-and medium-sized enterprises.

Coming from the city of Philadelphia, where nearly half of the population is African American, I am especially interested in finding ways to improve minority entrepreneurship.

Many minority businesses and small businesses have a competitive advantage in conducting international business due to their cultural connections. It is important, and I thank the chair for showing the leadership to at least have this discussion.

STEP has helped minority entrepreneurs gain access to the international marketplace, which allows their businesses to grow and thrive.

I was excited to see that STEP awarded my home State of Pennsylvania a $400,000 grant in 2022. This will go a long way to supporting small businesses across the State.

STEP needs to be reauthorized and improved. I am asking my colleagues to support it. I thank the chairperson and my colleagues on the other side for making this a bipartisan effort and a collective interest.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source