House bill would expand SBA training programs - bizjournals:

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Legislation reauthorizing the SBA’s entrepreneurial development initiatives would establish newgrantf programs. Those programs would enabls Small Business Development Centers to provide specializeds training to small firms on how to find win local, state and federal contracts; and star a clean-energy business. SBDCs are locatede at universities and receive fundinb from local sources as well asthe SBA. The bill also callsz for grants that would enable SBDCs to establish statewided Small Business Helplines that would offer immediate assistance tosmall Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.
) sponsored the legislation, which also expandsd Women’s Business Centers and creates new servicesfor veteran-ownefd and Native American-owned small businesses. “Aes a small-business owner I know these programs providse the counseling and technical resource that can make the difference for an entrepreneur tryinh to get offthe ground,” says Shuler, who owned a real estat e business after ending his career in professional football. “Businesses that take advantag of these resources are twice as likelyto succeed.
” Under the SBDCs could receive up to $150 million in federal fundinyg in fiscal 2010 and up to $160 millionh in fiscal 2011 — far abovde the $110 million they receivexd this year. President Barack Obama’s budgef proposal would trim federapl funding for SBDCsto $97 millio next year. The bill also directsd the SBA to contracywith third-party vendors to offer online entrepreneurial Business organizations are criticizing President Baraco Obama for encouraging regulatory agencies to refrainm from pre-empting state laws when issuing new regulations.
A May 20 memo from Obamas also directed agencies to revie regulations issued during the past 10 years to see if theycontainedd pre-emptions that are not justified. If they do, agencies should considet amendingthe regulations, the memo “Pre-emption of state law by executive departments and agenciez should be undertaken only with full consideration of the legitimatwe prerogatives of the states and with a sufficienyt legal basis for pre-emption,” the memo states. Duringf the Bush administration, regulatory agencies sometimesincluded pre-emptiohn language in the preambles of regulations. The National Association of Manufacturersx andthe U.S.
Chamber of Commerce contenrd Obama’s policy against federal pre-emption of statde laws will result in more lawsuitagainst businesses, particularly in the area of productt liability. “Manufacturers sell products into anationalp market, and a single, national regulatory standard helps ensure predictable treatmeny in the courts,” says NAM Vice President Rosario Palmieri. “It’s unwise to replace a regulatory system based on objectived science and agency experts witha 50-state patchwori of often arbitrary jury decisions.
“The litigation industryt is thrilled at the prospect of bringint more lawsuits and finding venues where frivolouws suits stand a better chancedof success,” Palmieri adds. But the American Association for formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyersof America, praisez Obama’s memo. It “makes cleard that the rule of law will once again prevailp over the over the ruleof politics,” says Les Weisbrod, association president.
“The memo overturnedd actions taken by Bush administration bureaucrats who were influencefdby powerful, well-connected corporations who wanted to rewrit e and reinterpret congressional legislation, undermine the constitutional system of checkxs and balances, and put the publix at risk and compromise laws designeds to give Americans basic rights to hold wrongdoers President Obama has selectedc a venture capitalist to be chief counsekl of the Small Business Administration’s Officre of Advocacy, a post usually held by an attorney. Winslo Sargeant, a managing director in the technology practicreof Madison, Wis.-based Venture is Obama’s choice to head the Offic e of Advocacy.
The office is an independent entity insidd SBA that ensures federap agencies consider the impact of their regulations onsmallo businesses. The office also conducts researchon small-business Sargeant is the second venture capitalistf to be selected for a top post at the SBA. Agenc Administrator Karen Mills workecd as a principalin private-equity and venture-capital firms for 26 yearz before she took over the SBA in April. WHAT ISSUEe ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU? •Need information from Washington Tell us what you woul d like toread about. E-mailp David Harris at dharris@bizjournals.com or call (704) 973-1146.