Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member, Mr. Frank. I'm pleased to rise in support of H.R. 1070, which is a provision, actually a bill, that is contained in the underlying legislation which we're going to be voting on today.

I want to pay tribute to Mr. Frank because he recognized the worth of the idea of expanding on Regulation A which was part of the Securities Act of 1933. He was more than interested in the idea. He said come and testify on it, which I did in December of 2010. So I was proud to do that. Both sides of the aisle at that hearing became heavily engaged in it. They were really fascinated by what it was and what it could do relative to capital formation.

So now this bipartisan bill, which passed the House in November of this last year 421 1, is now in this bill. It increases the offering limit from $5 million to $50 million under the SEC Regulation A, which, as I think I said, was enacted during the Great Depression to facilitate the flow of capital to small businesses. Look at the genius of FDR. A reformed Regulation A is important for small businesses and start-ups not only in my Silicon Valley district but across the country. This is especially true in high-tech, sustainable energy and the life sciences fields where research and development start-up costs routinely exceed $5 million. And in 2010, only seven companies actually took advantage of it.

So I'm very pleased that this is part of this overall legislation. I salute the ranking member, Mr. Frank, for recognizing it, for supporting it early on, and for getting the ball rolling at his committee with a Member who is not a member of his committee; and I think the country is going to win with this provision, and I'm proud to support it.

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