Senate in session
House in session
What’s Happening Today:
Senate
- Convenes for session at 9:30 am
- Resumes consideration of a small business tax extension bill, (S.2237). The Senate could hold a cloture vote on Senator Landrieu's (D-LA) substitute amendment today, but is currently pending procedural motions. The Landrieu amendment is basically an SBA reauthorization including procurement reforms passed by the House and the changes we have been seeking to the WOSB bill. In addition, the amendment extends a number of small business tax deductions/credits, and makes program changes to many SBA programs. If the amendment is voted down, a likely scenario is that Sen. Landrieu will break up her amendment into pieces, and introduce them as separate amendments. For example, procurement provisions would be considered as one amendment, while program changes to the entrepreneurial development programs—such as the WBC program—would become a separate amendment. Any loan program changes would similarly come as a separate amendment. We will be analyzing the entire amendment but if you want to read the full text, here's the link
Yesterday, WIPP, CAMEO, AEO, US Black Chamber, CFED and WCOE signed onto a letter of support for the procurement sections of the Landrieu amendment. A big thank you for so quickly signing onto a letter which is very important to moving the legislation forward. Senator Landrieu is thrilled at the quick turnaround and asked that we thank everyone. The final letter is attached.
House
- Convenes for session at 9:00 am
- Committee on Small Business, Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight and Regulations, hearing entitled ``Sinking the Marine Industry: How Regulations are Affecting Today's Maritime Businesses'', 10 a.m.
What Happened Yesterday:
Senate
- Senate passed H.R. 4155, to direct the head of each Federal department and agency to treat relevant military training as sufficient to satisfy training or certification requirements for Federal licenses.
- Senate began consideration of S. 2237, the small business bill referenced above.
- Senate began consideration of the motion to proceed to consideration of S. 3364, a bill that gives incentives to keeping jobs onshore instead of offshore. The bill will likely be considered as an amendment to S. 2237, referenced above. To read the text of the bill, please click here
House
- Committee on Agriculture: Full Committee began markup of H.R. 6083, the ``Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act''.
- Committee on Small Business: Full Committee held a hearing entitled ``Is FMCSA's CSA Program Driving Small Businesses Off the Road?'' Testimony was heard from Bill Bronrott, Deputy Administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; (Cielo attended)
Bills of Interest:
- S.3281: A bill to terminate the Federal authorization of the National Veterans Business Development Corporation.
Sponsor: Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
Cosponsors: Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), Sen. John Kerry (D-MA)
- S.3277: A bill to encourage exporting by small business concerns
Sponsor: Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
Cosponsors: Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
- H.R.5975: A bill to amend the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to provide for the establishment of the Small Business Liaison Pilot Program
Sponsor: Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)
