WASHINGTON
–
U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Budget Committee and of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Committee, today praised Senate passage of the FY 2010 Budget Resolution, which included his amendment to increase funding for the Small Business Administration (SBA) by $180 million, from $700 million to $880 million.
 

“The SBA has suffered severe budget cutbacks over the past eight years, and this increase in funding will help ensure that the SBA has the resources to provide small businesses with the financial and technical assistance they need to weather these difficult economic times.
  Our nation faces tremendous challenges, and I am particularly proud of my amendment, which will help to reset America’s priorities and put us on a path to restore us to economic health.”

The SBA was created in 1953 as an independent agency to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U. S. Virgin Islands and Guam.