Nydia Velázquez

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to pay tribute to Esperanza Marrero--a resident on the Lower East Side of my New York City Congressional District. Esperanza is the oldest person in New York State at 110 years old and 4 and \1/2\ months. She has lived through two World Wars, and has seen the changes in culture and life in Puerto Rico--and in New York City-- over the decades. Born in 1893 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Esperanza is the proud grandmother of 15 and has dozens of great grandchildren. She credits her long life to getting a strong start growing up in Puerto Rico. Like her grandmother before her who lived to be 120, Esperanza continues to live a full life, playing bingo at the Lillian Wald Senior Center, shopping on 14th Street, or watching the boats on the East River. Her companion is a dog named Benji, who is said to have saved her life many times. Esperanza, which means ``hope'' in Spanish, was named appropriately-- her life and her story are truly inspirational. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Esperanza Marrero, and join with my colleagues in the House of Representatives to recognize her extraordinary life.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Nadler- Velazquez amendment to increase funding for Section 8 vouchers. This successful program is the principal form of housing assistance for low- income families, the elderly and the disabled. For the last several years, I have taken to the floor with like- minded colleagues time and time again to decry the deep and sweeping cuts being made to the HUD budget. In FY 2001, 79,000 new vouchers were appropriated--that was the last year of the Clinton Administration. As soon as President Bush took office, the number of new vouchers dropped to 18,000. In FY 2003, no new vouchers were appropriated. During these debates we have discussed how rising housing costs are far outstripping income growth for low-income Americans. We contrasted the growing need for housing assistance, with the drastic cuts to HUD's budget. And we warned that by allowing the housing crisis to take firm root in time of economic prosperity it would grow beyond control during an economic downturn. Well, Mr. Chairman, you reap what you sow. Unemployment is up, the markets are down, and housing costs continue to rise. The need for housing assistance is skyrocketing across the nation, and homelessness is at a 10-year high. In fact, the housing crisis is so bad in New York City that low-income families were actually housed in jail cells. Our cities and States have continuously called on the Federal Government for assistance--yet never has a HUD budget so directly exacerbated this national housing crisis. President Bush's FY 2004 HUD budget proposal called for a mere 5,500 new vouchers. This spring, my colleague from New York and I sent a letter to chairman and ranking member of this subcommittee, signed by 66 Members of the House, urging funding for 79,000 new vouchers. This request was soundly ignored. We were all well aware that the Republican tax cuts would put us in such a budget crisis that funding for all low-income programs would be on the chopping-block. But I never thought that we would be standing here today voting on a budget that actually cuts current Section 8 assistance for 85,000 families, and will likely lead to their eviction. The Nadler-Velazquez amendment offers some relief by providing an additional $150 million for this account. It would protect nearly 22,000 low-income families whose housing is jeopardized by this bill. Clearly, the entire VA-HUD appropriations bill is underfunded. And using funding from one Federal program to offset another is less than ideal. While Mr. Nalder and I reluctantly included this offset, we unequivocally support increasing Section 8 funding. I urge my colleagues to support the Nadler-Velazquez amendment--and the right of low-income American families to safe, decent, affordable housing.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2210 will dismantle Head Start and rob single moms of the best early childhood education for their children.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, the work we do here in Congress is all about priorities, and the decisions we make are a measure of what we value as a Nation. What this bill shows us very clearly is that low-income children are again not a priority for our President and the Republican leadership. We have spent $350 billion in another tax cut for our wealthiest families, yet we cannot afford to provide Head Start services to two out of every five eligible preschool children. Mr. Chairman, instead of expanding the libraries in Head Start classrooms, this bill will take books out of the hands of our most at- risk children. Rather than providing teachers additional resources, we are jamming even more students into the crowded classrooms. This legislation jeopardizes funding, slashes critical health services, weakens educational standards, and repeals civil rights protections. I am outraged by the Republican bill, but I am not surprised. The Republican leadership constantly extols family values, yet its legislative agenda so clearly fails to value American families.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I think the sham Republican Medicare bill fails to provide women with the real prescription drug coverage that they need and deserve.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, our country is in a health care crisis. Today, in the world's largest remaining superpower, 41 million Americans live without health insurance. No place in this epidemic is more apparent than with our Nation's small businesses. They represent 60 percent of this country's uninsured. Small business owners and their employees do not have health insurance, not because they do not want it or are trying to cut corners, but because they cannot afford it. Small companies see their insurance costs rising upwards of 25 percent each year. They are unfairly suffering this burden, and their employees are unfairly suffering without insurance. Small businesses provide more than half of the Nation's gross domestic product, create 75 percent of all new jobs, and give two- thirds of Americans their first paychecks. Yet many small businesses are unable to provide the benefits they know the workers deserve. Today, with the passage of this bipartisan Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2003, we take an important first step in helping millions of Americans afford what so many in this Chamber take for granted, health care. During the debate on this legislation, Members are going to hear terms like cherrypicking, solvency, and MEWAs. If Members take one thing away from today's debate, it should be that H.R. 660 is simply about fairness, fairness for small business owners to offer health insurance to their employees just as large corporations and unions already do. If we trust large corporations and unions, we should trust small businesses in America. If it is good enough for IBM, Lockheed-Martin and GM, it should be good enough for mainstream American businesses. H.R. 660 will give small business owners the ability to provide quality health care for themselves, their families, and, most importantly, their workers. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on H.R. 660.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case).

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Today, I rise in strong support of H.R. 205, the National Small Business Regulatory Assistance Act of 2003, which would establish a regulatory compliance assistance program to this Nation's small businesses. I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Sweeney) for his hard work on this issue and congratulate him for bringing this bill to the floor. With the American economy still struggling, it is now more important than ever to make it easier for small businesses, this Nation's economic backbone, to expand. In today's business environment, one of the greatest obstacles standing in the way of growth for many of this Nation's small businesses is regulatory compliance. Small businesses regularly find themselves lost in the maze of Federal regulations that are designed to create safer and healthier workplaces. In fact, regulatory burdens are typically ranked as a top concern for small businesses, and the Small Business Administration estimates those burdens cost almost $7,000 per employee per year. That is 60 percent higher than costs for businesses with more than 500 employees. Small firms are less equipped to deal with regulations than large corporations. Business owners want to comply with regulations because they know that a safe and healthy workplace makes them more productive, but often they do not know how to comply or where to start. With the adoption of this legislation, we take a big step in helping our Nation's small businesses to navigate the regulatory process with passage of the National Small Business Regulatory Assistance Act. This legislation establishes a 3-year pilot program to provide confidential and nonpunitive advice to small businesses that are trying to weather a blizzard of complex Federal regulations. Business owners sometimes fear approaching agencies for compliance assistance because these are the very agencies charged with enforcement. They worry, Can I talk about OSHA requirements with the labor Department? Can I discuss environmental regulations with the EPA? By creating a compliance program through the Small Business Development Centers national network, we will provide a neutral, non- threatening environment small business owners use to get important information and advice without fear of retaliation. The SBDCs, which have a solid reputation for aiding local enterprise, already provide counseling, training and education. This legislation creates a one-stop shop for regulatory compliance that will help small business owners who want to do the right thing to do the right thing. In addition, this legislation would establish a database clearinghouse for information gathered by the SBDCs based on their interaction with local businesses. This data will be useful in further identifying the compliance needs of small business and tailoring assistance to them. While SBDCs provide more compliance assistance and gather more information, we must ensure that the sensitive information brought forward by small business is kept absolutely confidential. This legislation guarantees privacy for those who receive compliance assistance and extends these protections to all small businesses that seek any assistance from their local SBDC. This legislation bars the sharing of information that any SBDC collects on a business with any third body or agency. This will guarantee that small businesses receive the assistance they need in complete confidence and privacy. Madam Speaker, we want all our small businesses to comply with the regulations that preserve the health, environment, and well-being of our workers and our communities; but oftentimes, small businesses do not have access to the resources they need if they want to comply with regulations in good faith. With the adoption of this legislation, we are giving small businesses the support they need to navigate the often complex realm of Federal regulations. In closing, let me thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Sweeney) for this bill. I strongly urge the adoption of this legislation. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 15th anniversary of the Brooklyn Chinese-American Association. The Brooklyn Chinese-American Association (BCA) has developed into the largest service and community development organization for the Asian communities of Brooklyn since its inception in 1987. BCA addresses the needs and concerns of Asian Americans, which therefore enhances the strength and cohesiveness of our neighborhoods. Since BCA's beginnings, Brooklyn's Asian-American communities have seen tremendous growth with recent estimates of more than 250,000 Asian-American residents. Sunset Park has seen such a significant increase that it is now called ``Brooklyn's Chinatown.'' Due to this population boom BCA provides numerous services and programs to ease transition of recent immigrants. These programs include three early childhood education centers, nine youth-oriented programs, comprehensive bilingual social services, crime prevention and victim services. BCA also organizes community events and economic development projects. One annual event BCA is proud of is the annual Chinese New Year's parade, which brings local residents together to celebrate their heritage and traditions. In celebration of BCA's 15th anniversary, I would like to acknowledge their hard work and dedication to enhancing the lives of Asian Americans in Brooklyn. Over the years, BCA's achievements have enabled them to offer programs that bring great joy to many residents. I hereby join the Brooklyn Chinese-American Association along with Asian-Americans throughout the city to celebrate BCA's 15th anniversary.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I would like to congratulate both the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) on this important amendment. I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 4. In 1996, we passed what was wrongly termed ``landmark legislation'' that would end welfare as we know it. Over the past several years, our Nation's poor and working families have survived, not because of the strong safety net, but because of a strong economy. With the economy in recession and States facing record deficits, we need welfare reform now more than ever. To hear the President speak, you think he would agree. Recently the President said, ``Welfare reform, to me, means liberation from dependency. It means we realize each person matters, and if we can help people find work, it means dignity.'' Great rhetoric. I do not know what proposal he has been looking at, because today's proposal does nothing to promote dignity. This proposal is about victimizing the poor. This bill is so bad in so many ways I do not even know where to start: lack of funding for child care, increased work requirements, discrimination against immigrants. But what it is most about, unfortunately, is a lost opportunity. A major shortcoming of the welfare reform system is that it fails to effectively and creatively use our number one job creator, small business. The current system is so confusing and bureaucratic that both small businesses and welfare recipients simply give up out of sheer frustration. This leaves welfare recipients without jobs and small businesses without employees. But today's vote is also about mixed-up priorities. Just imagine if we had taken the more than $300 billion for the Bush dividend tax cut and instead put it towards training and tax credits for small businesses that give welfare recipients jobs. Think of the economic power as small businesses expand and we gain a whole new group of consumers. Once again, tax breaks for the wealthy is more important than dignity for the poor. That is a real shame. Vote ``no'' on H.R. 4 and support the Lee-Kucinich amendment.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. S. 141 is a good start. It is time to stop finger-pointing and get to work. The administration needs to lift the loan cap and get this critical capital where it is needed most, in the hands of small businesses.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Jones), an alumna of the Committee on Small Business and the newest member of the Committee on Ways and Means. (Mrs. JONES of Ohio asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa). (Mr. HINOJOSA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of S. 141. This legislation is long overdue. Today, more than ever, small businesses struggle to find avenues of capital. This is only reinforced by the fact that in our day and age, the number one rate for entrepreneurs to finance their great idea is through credit cards. Oftentimes, these carry prohibitively high interest rates, weighing small businesses down with insurmountable debt even before they get off the ground. Filling this financing vacuum are the SBA loan programs. Through public-private partnerships that share the lending risk, small businesses are able to tap into capital that is both affordable and accessible. In these programs last year, $20 billion in capital, accounting for 40 percent of all long-term small business lending, was provided to this Nation's entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, at a time when we need these programs the most, they are blocked from fulfilling their true potential because of policies that place the Federal Treasury's bottom line above this Nation's small business bottom line. Over the last decades, both lenders and small businesses receiving SBA loans have been overcharged by a whopping $1.5 billion. This is nothing more than a tax on small business that should have been put to rest long ago. S. 141 will help to change this inequity by requiring the administration to more accurately report the cost of these programs to taxpayers. The move will begin to turn the tide of this unfair tax, and coupled with the pending fiscal year 2003 omnibus appropriations bill, entrepreneurs will finally have the access to capital they need. I urge my colleagues to join me in calling on the President to follow through on our actions today and put capital where it belongs, in the hands of small business owners. Mr. Speaker, for almost 6 months now, this administration has limited access to capital for the small business sectors by placing a cap of $500,000 on SBA loans. This move is tantamount to credit rationing. Because of these actions, entrepreneurs have been blocked from accessing billions of dollars. These funds could have been used to create economic growth and jobs, two important components to aid us in our climb out of the current economic doldrums. With the passage of this measure, the SBA and the administration will no longer have an excuse to withhold these funds from small businesses, and they must lift this cap. While this legislation offers some remedy, it is only a very minor move in terms of what truly needs to happen to give the small business community the fairness it deserves. With this bill's implementation we will see the first significant reduction in the subsidy rate governing the program. But even with the passage of S. 141, small businesses and lenders are still paying too much, and that must change. Even more importantly, this legislation does nothing to address the most egregious practice of taxing small business, the overcharging of those entrepreneurs who use the 504 loan program. The average small business owner today, receiving a 504 loan, can expect to pay an additional $15,000. That is the difference between hiring a part-time employee and a full-time employee, providing health care benefits or purchasing new equipment that will add jobs. This is shameful. But the fact that the administration is aware of this and their current budget refuses to fix it is without conscience. I am not going to stand for this. Small business owners are not going to stand for it either. And this body should not stand for it. Mr. Speaker, S. 141 is the first step in helping Main Street America, but there is still a lot of work to be done before small firms receive fair and equal treatment. One of our mantras in the Committee on Small Business is ``Access to capital is access to opportunity.'' With the passage of this legislation, we will be a little closer to making it possible for thousands of individuals to realize the American dream of business ownership. I urge the adoption of this legislation Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the start of the Chinese Lunar New Year in New York City. The Year of the Ram is being celebrated on the first day of February, 2003, as the people of New York join the Asian American community in marking the start of a New Year. The Ram signifies harmony, reconciliation and peacemaking--both politically and personally. This is the year for reconciliation, diplomacy and the healing of rifts. Since the Ram is also patron of the arts, this year will bring out individual creativity, and an increased interest in music and theater. After last year's quick pace of the Year of the Horse, the Year of the Ram will be a time for quiet introspection. In taking to a slower pace of life, this year will be dedicated to spending quality time with those closest to us. In celebration of the Year of the Ram, our great City will come alive with many lively festivals, colorful processions and cultural performances. Several neighborhoods in the City will host the traditional lion and dragon parades. Streets will be adorned with red paper lanterns for the Lantern Festival, and bright decorations and lights will hang across storefronts and sidewalks. The beginning of the Lunar New Year is a special occasion for Asian Americans. It is a time for reflection, for making future plans, and for honoring the past. It is an opportunity to share old, treasured traditions with friends and family. It is a time for all New Yorkers of various ethnic backgrounds to join the Asian American community as they look forward to a year of peace, prosperity and good will among all people. I hereby join the City of New York and the Asian American community in celebration of Lunar New Year's Day on February 1, 2003, to mark the start of the Year of the Ram.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to House Joint Resolution 114. This so-called compromise resolution on Iraq is not compromise at all, but a blank check to give President Bush unprecedented power to launch preemptive war on Iraq. There is no justification for such an action, and the case that the administration has made is suspect at best. Even though we are engaged in a war on terrorism, here we are today, no mention of Osama bin Laden, no mention of how this resolution accomplishes the goal we all stood unified on 1 year ago. Not only has the case not been made to the American people, we have not made the case to the international community, and we cannot go it alone. We cannot act unilaterally. We must work closely with the United Nations and other countries in the global community. Without them we cannot move towards a new, more peaceful world. We need to be mindful that we were able to act quickly and decisively during the Gulf War because we stood as a world community. Today we stand alone. Is Saddam Hussein evil? Absolutely. But we have not been shown that there is an imminent threat compelling us to act. We know what an imminent threat looks like. We saw it during the Cuban Missile Crisis, in the buildup to the Six-Day War in the Middle East, and when Iraqi tanks poised on the border with Kuwait in 1990. By contrast, the evidence here looks more like the Gulf of Tonkin. War is our last resort, not our first option. The United States must exhaust all diplomatic channels before waging another war. The President needs to work closely with the international community to demand completely unfettered inspections of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs. With continued pressure from the world's only superpower, we can pressure the Iraqi Government to allow United Nations inspectors in so we can know exactly what Saddam Hussein has in his weapons arsenal before we act. At this time we do not have such firm information, only the past record of the Iraqi regime. If we did have this information and if this government consults with, rather than dictates to, our allies and the international community, only then could we act against the threat that Iraq poses. We do need to act, but we do not need to rush into war. War is one answer, but it is not the only answer. Will war solve the Iraqi problem and wipe out terrorism in the world as we know it? Maybe, but probably not. Our actions may simply spur greater resentment against our increasingly imperial power, producing an endless stream of new enemies finding new and terrifying ways to attack us. What we must do at this critical juncture in our Nation's history is to affirm American values of peace, justice, and democracy. These values are what brought this country to the preeminent position as the ``indispensable Nation,'' and they are the reason why we embody the hopes and aspirations of people around the world. We must not let them down. We demonstrate our peaceful intent by pursuing diplomatic means to pressure the Iraqi regime. We may pursue justice by seeking an indictment of Saddam Hussein for war crimes in the International Criminal Court, and we must affirm our democratic values by consulting allies and working with the United Nations to resolve this crisis. But the enumeration of Iraq's past crimes, concerns over preemption and our place in the world, pale when compared to the reality of sending our young men and women into harm's way. We know that some of them will die. Before we vote to send them to war, we must be able to look in the eyes of the mothers and fathers whose sons and daughters have died for us and tell them that their sacrifice was worth it. I cannot do that today in good conscience, and that is why I will vote ``no.''

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise today to commemorate the 9th Anniversary Celebration of the Eighth Avenue Senior Center sponsored by the Brooklyn Chinese-American Association in my district. Founded in 1988, the Brooklyn Chinese-American Association began as a small social services agency dedicated to providing assistance to the Asian American community. Since then, that community has blossomed with over 250,000 residents that form the heart of Brooklyn's Chinatown. The B.C.A. has expanded with the Eighth Avenue Senior Center, which serves the community with daily meals, bilingual information, English as a Second Language classes, Citizenship classes, medical check-ups, and even field trips. Its membership is 1,800 and serves more than 200 senior citizens each day. Such dedication to this community should be commended. On October 3, the Senior Center will host its Millennial Roundtable celebration in similar style, by pairing guests with 12 senior members aged 84 and older--a combined age of 1000 years. The Double Millennial Roundtable pairs guests with 23 members aged 87 years or older, for a combined age of 2000 years. This is a great tribute to the age, wisdom and contributions our senior citizens have made, and continue to make, to our community.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, the mark of an American hero is a person who created reality and shaped the values that we take for granted today. Patsy Mink is one such American hero. Each time we look around at what America is today, we should think of Patsy Mink because our Nation is a better place due to the contributions she made throughout her life on education, immigrants' rights, health care, and protecting the poor. She fought for civil rights in an era of segregation. She was an advocate for Asian Americans after the internment policy of World War II. She opposed a war before it made headlines. She fought to provide every child with a quality education, and she created opportunities for girls to play college sports, sparking a revolution for an entire generation that is now the envy of the world. She was the first in so many things, the first female student body president, the first Japanese American woman to practice law in Hawaii, the first woman of color to serve in the United States Congress, all things we take for granted today. We should always remember it was Patsy who fought to get us here, especially women. Perhaps Patsy herself could sum up her life and legacy best when she said, my career in politics has been a crucible of challenges and crises where in the end the principles to which I was committed prevailed. We should all strive to be as dedicated to our process and as passionate in our arguments as Patsy was to hers. For the many causes she championed, there was no fiercer advocate than Patsy Mink. I will miss her friendship, her spirit and her sense of humanity.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank the Reverened Dr. Paul Smith, who led today's Opening Prayer. Reverend Smith is the senior minister of the First Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, NY, in my district, and I am proud to have him here as a representative of our community. Reverend Smith has a long career in and out of the ministry. He began as an assistant pastor at the Salem United Church of Christ in Buffalo, New York, in 1960. He has taught at divinity schools at the New York and San Francisco Theological Seminaries and Emory University, in addition to holding administrative positions at Washington University and Morehouse College. Not content to preach from the pulpit, Reverend Smith applies his ministry to public life. He teaches at the Health Science Center of the State University of New York and provides diversity and senstivity training to corporations and communities alike. I hope you will join me today in welcoming Reverend Paul Smith here today.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I rise today to ensure that the new Department has access to the innovative resources this Nation's small businesses can offer in the defense for our country. The amendment offered with my colleagues from California and New Mexico makes sure that the American taxpayer gets the best value for the dollar and that the new Department of Homeland Security has access to the best work and highest technology by requiring the new agency to open up its estimated $37 billion market to our Nation's small businesses. America's small businesses are the top innovators in the global economy. In an age when high technology will help keep us one step ahead of those who will do us harm, we cannot afford to ignore the contributions our small companies can make. When the private sector corporations need a job done quickly, they look to nimble, fast-working small businesses. Unfortunately, small businesses face many obstacles when trying to win contracts from Federal agencies. The Velazquez-Issa-Wilson amendment will tear down barriers to part of that market by requiring the new Department of Homeland Security to have a small-business goal that is at least the statutory minimum of 23 percent. The amendment also adds accountability to the process by including goal achievement in Federal contracting officers' performance evaluations. I close by asking my colleagues to get this new agency off to a good start. In a new era where we must be smarter and faster than our foe, we cannot afford to ignore the smartest and fastest of them all, America's innovative small businesses. I urge support of the bipartisan Velazquez-Issa-Wilson amendment.