Defense Appropriations Bill contains funding to extend programs thru February 2010.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With Recovery Act funding running out and with almost 1,000 small businesses on a waiting list for about $500 million in SBA-backed loans, the Senate today voted to extend funding for vital SBA Recovery Act provisions through February 2010. United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., Chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, who along with 12 of her colleagues, requested this extension and praised the inclusion of funds to continue vital Small Business Administration (SBA) lending programs.

"Small businesses have been left in limbo since the funding ran out in late November. Today's action by the Senate will immediately clear the waiting list established by the SBA and will provide a lifeline to small businesses in need of credit," Senator Landrieu said. "With these additional funds, SBA will be able to offer lenders a higher guarantee for 7(a) loans and a fee waiver on 504 loans, and reduce the cost of capital for small businesses by waiving the fees on both 7(a) and 504 loans. These changes proved very effective at jumpstarting small business lending, and the need to continue them is clear. Since funds from the Recovery Act ran out in late November, we've seen the volume for 7(a) and 504 loans drastically decrease. Reinstating these funds is important to small businesses and our overall economic recovery and job-creation efforts."

Senator Landrieu, along with 12 other Senators, sent a letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee asking for the funds to continue these provisions from the Recovery Act. Of the $479 million dollars requested from the Senators, $125 million is included in the Department of Defense Appropriations Bill, with the remaining $354 million included in the jobs-creation package introduced in the House. The House jobs-creation package, which is expected to be considered by the Senate early next year, also includes a provision to extend the authorization for the 90 percent guarantee on SBA loans through FY2010.

To view a copy of the Senator's request for funding, please click here.

SOURCE U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship

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http://sbc.senate.gov