Dear Friend,

Last week my amendment that will help veteran-owned businesses access small business loans passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support.

Small businesses rely on credit to grow, hire new workers, and do their part to get Long Island's economy moving again. Last week the House passed the Small Business Lending Fund Act to help community banks extend credit to small businesses.

My amendment ensures that businesses owned by veterans are prioritized. Our veterans made many sacrifices when serving their country, including leaving their businesses behind. My amendment will require outreach to veteran-owned businesses to ensure that they receive sufficient guidance about these loan programs. It also will require that the Treasury takes into consideration whether a bank serves small businesses that are veteran-owned when determining which banks to give money to through the small business fund. We ask our soldiers to fight our battles abroad, and I'm proud to fight for their businesses when they come home.

Promoting our small businesses is what strengthens our economy and creates jobs on Long Island. The Small Business Lending Fund Act will do just that – while helping our veterans at the same time. For more information on the Small Business Lending Fund Act and my amendment supporting veteran-owned businesses, please visit my website at http://israel.house.gov.

Sincerely,

Steve Israel

Member of Congress