Enhancing Small Business Research And Innovation Act Of 2009

Floor Speech

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(Mr. SMITH of Washington asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment, and I thank Congressman Reichert for offering it.

These are two critical programs. And I thank the committee, as well, for their excellent work in reauthorizing these programs, the SBIR and the STTR programs, which are designed to help small businesses with innovative products get access to help from the Small Business Administration to promote those products, and in particular, to emphasize help for veteran-owned businesses, small businesses, minorities, and underrepresented areas.

I applaud Mr. Reichert for offering this amendment as we reach out to those people and try to make them aware of this program, which has been a significant challenge, as Mr. Reichert outlined, of people being aware of the opportunities that are there. It makes a great deal of sense to those same veterans, minorities, and underrepresented areas to do that outreach. I think this is a well thought-out amendment that will help enormously in making sure those people get access to these critical programs.

As Mr. Reichert mentioned, there are a large number of veterans coming back from fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan who are looking for these opportunities. This amendment will help make sure that our veterans get that help that they need to find those opportunities that are there.

And this will also be a huge boon to our economy. There are a lot of great ideas amongst these groups. If we can take those ideas, turn them into businesses and turn them into jobs, we all benefit from it, while at the same time helping our veterans who so richly deserve our help.

This is an important amendment that will help facilitate access by veteran-owned and other underrepresented businesses to the SBIR and STTR programs that we are discussing today.

As was already explained by my colleague, this amendment ensures that the outreach to underserved areas and underrepresented small businesses called for in this legislation will be conducted by organizations that include those which serve underrepresented States, regions, and businesses owned by women, persons of minority status, or service-disabled veterans.

As my district is home to many veterans who have gone on to start small businesses, and with many who will soon return home from service abroad and look to start businesses of their own, I am proud to offer this amendment with my colleague, Mr. REICHERT. This amendment will help to ensure that there are avenues available to those veterans and other underrepresented small business owners that would benefit from the assistance offered by the SBA.

I ask that my colleagues support this amendment.

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