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65–194 2011

ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING 

MEETING 

BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS 

UNITED STATES 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH CONGRESS 

FIRST SESSION 

MEETING HELD 

JANUARY 26, 2011 

Small Business Committee Document Number 111–001 

Available via the GPO Website: http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/house 


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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS 

SAM GRAVES, Missouri, Chairman 

ROSCOE BARTLETT, Maryland 

STEVE CHABOT, Ohio 

STEVE KING, Iowa 

MIKE COFFMAN, Colorado 

MICK MULVANEY, South Carolina 

SCOTT TIPTON, Colorado 

CHUCK FLEISCHMANN, Tennessee 

JEFF LANDRY, Louisiana 

JAIME HERRERA BEUTLER, Washington 

ALLEN WEST, Florida 

RENEE ELLMERS, North Carolina 

JOE WALSH, Illinois 

LOU BARLETTA, Pennsylvania 

RICHARD HANNA, New York 

NYDIA VELA ́ ZQUEZ, New York, Ranking Member 

KURT SCHRADER, Oregon 

MARK CRITZ, Pennsylvania 

JASON ALTMIRE, Pennsylvania 

YVETTE CLARKE, New York 

JUDY CHU, California 

DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island 

CEDRIC RICHMOND, Louisiana 

GARY PETERS, Michigan 

BILL OWENS, New York 

BILL KEATING, Massachusetts 

LORI SALLEY, Staff Director 

PAUL SASS, Staff Director 

BARRY PINELES, General Counsel 

MICHAEL DAY, Minority Staff Directory 


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C O N T E N T S 

Opening Statements: 

Graves, Hon. Sam ............................................................................................. 1 

Vela ́zquez, Hon. Nydia M. ............................................................................... 2 

APPENDIX 

Committee Oversight Plan for the 112th Congress .............................................. 21 

Committee Rules and Procedures for the 112th Congress ................................... 7 


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ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING 

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2011 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS, 

Washington, DC. 

The Committee met, pursuant to call, at 1 p.m., in Room 2360, 

Rayburn House Office. Hon. Sam Graves [chairman of the Committee] presiding. 

Present: Representatives Graves, Bartlett, Chabot, Coffman, 

Ellmers, Herrera Beutler, Fleischmann, Tipton, Walsh, West, 

Vela ́zquez, Schrader, Critz, Altmire, Chu, Cicilline, and Peters. 

Chairman GRAVES. We will go ahead and get started. I will call 

the Small Business Committee organization meeting to order. I 

want to welcome all the returning Members and new Members of 

the Committee. I know they are excited to dive into this Committee 

and get to work, which is exactly what we are going to do. 

In the essence of time because we have got a vote coming up 

right away, I will introduce the eight new Republican Members. 

We have got Congresswoman Renee Ellmers, who was a nurse from 

North Carolina before her election. Congresswoman Jaime Herrera 

Beutler, who is returning to Washington, D.C., after having once 

been an aide to Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers and represents 

the 3rd District of Washington. Congressman Chuck Fleischmann 

practiced law in Tennessee prior to his election. Congressman Jeff 

Landry successfully ran for office from Louisiana while operating 

a small oil services business. Congressman Mick Mulvaney, also an 

attorney, served in the South Carolina State Legislature. Congressman Scott Tipton ran a small business and served in the Colorado 

Legislature before winning his election. Congressman Joe Walsh 

helped small businesses raise capital in Illinois and brings experience, a lot of experience, to this Committee. And Congressman 

Allen West served his country in the military and now serves his 

Florida constituents in Congress. 

I would also like to welcome those returning Members back: Mr. 

Bartlett from Maryland, Mr. Chabot from Ohio, Mr. Coffman from 

Colorado, and Mr. King from Iowa. 

And now I will yield to Ranking Member Vela ́zquez to introduce 

her Members. 

Ms. VELA ́ ZQUEZ. I, too, want to welcome the returning Members 

and new Members. We have six new Members on our side: Representative Judy Chu of California. This is her second term in Congress and first with the Committee. She will be the Ranking Member for the Subcommittee on Contracting and Work Force. Representative David Cicilline of Rhode Island. This is his first term 


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in Congress and he will serve on the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

in addition to this Committee. Representative Richmond of Louisiana. This is his first term and he will be the ranking on the Subcommittee on Health Care and Technology. Representative Gary 

Peters of Michigan. This is his second term in Congress and first 

with the Committee. And Representative Bill Owens of New York. 

He was first selected in 2009 to fill the seat vacated by John 

McHugh. And we have Representative Bill Keating of Massachusetts. This is his first term in office. 

Returning Members: Mr. Schrader of Oregon. This is his second 

term. Mark Critz of Pennsylvania. He was first elected to Congress 

in early 2010 to fill the seat vacated after Congressman Murtha 

passed away. Representative Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania. This 

is his third term in Congress and on the Committee. And Representative Yvette Clarke of New York, also in her third term in 

office and with the Committee. 

Thank you. 

Chairman GRAVES. Thank you very much. As chairman of the 

Committee I definitely want to set the right tone and I would like 

to retain the tradition of bipartisanship on this Committee that 

stretches all the way back to another Missourian, former Congressman Chairman Jim Talent. Ranking Member Vela ́zquez continued 

the efforts obviously in the 110th and 111th Congress, which I appreciated very much. And although we have differences on policy, 

I strongly believe that there are many issues which we have found 

and will continue to find common ground on that is going to help 

small businesses by eliminating unnecessary programs and regulations and improving the efficiency of the Small Business Administration when it comes to dealing with entrepreneurs. 

I believe that the rules package and oversight plan under consideration today is going to lay the groundwork for finding those areas 

that we have in common while it maintains the highest levels of 

civility when we discuss our differences. 

And I will now yield to Ranking Member Vela ́zquez for her opening statement. 

Ms. VELA ́ ZQUEZ. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to, as I said 

before, welcome all the returning Members and the new Members. 

And this should be a very busy two years, and we look forward to 

continuing our work on behalf of our nation’s small businesses. And 

I welcome your comments about working in a bipartisan way. As 

I have always stated in the past, there is no Republican or Democratic approach to deal with the many issues that we need to tackle 

in terms of small businesses in our country. It has been said in the 

past both Republicans and Democrats want and need small firms 

to succeed and create jobs in our communities. 

Mr. Chairman, regarding our Committee’s rules, they are not 

only a vital institutional requirement, but they also set clear parameters for how we will operate. More importantly, they contain 

protections to ensure that all points of views are considered. The 

rules foster an environment that facilitates respectful dialogue, irrespective of ideological beliefs. We have Members from all across 

the country representing rural and urban areas, North and South, 

East and West. Their viewpoints inform our hearings and strengthen the legislation we produce. 


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As a result of these procedures, transparency is enhanced and information is made more readily available. Doing so enables Members, as well as the public, to follow and participate in congressional proceedings more fully. Increasing the quality and quantity 

of this information is essential as it demystifies the work we do on 

Capitol Hill, permitting us to better connect with those we serve. 

A committee that is run openly and with a sense of comity is a 

committee that works and can best achieve its objective. It is my 

hope that the rules we consider today will make this happen. 

Through their adoption we will start the 112th Congress in a way 

that permits us to work across the aisle and to solve the many 

issues facing small businesses in America. 

And I yield back to the Chairman. Thank you. 

Chairman GRAVES. Thank you. And I want to say outright to you 

that I want to thank the minority and majority staffs for their hard 

work and cooperation putting together this rules package. I will 

highlight some of the changes real quick which I think are going 

to provide a lot more transparency. 

First of all, in an effort to keep all the Members informed, materials for markups and hearings are going to be distributed as soon 

as possible. In fact, even sooner than what the House rules require. 

Second, Members, I know everybody is busy with a lot of things 

out there, so the length of hearings are going to be kept as short 

as possible by limiting the number of total nongovernment witnesses. 

And third, the public will be continually informed on Committee 

activities through live streaming of Committee hearings and posting of material distributed to Members and their votes during 

markup on the Committee’s website. All of these efforts, I think, 

are going to ensure greater efficiency and operation of the Committee and it is going to allow us to focus on the critical policy 

needs of small businesses. 

In addition to efficiency and transparency of Committee operations, I believe the rules package protects the rights of the minority by allowing it to control its budget and ensuring that subpoenas 

in most instances are going to be considered by the full Committee 

prior to issuance. 

So I now recognize Ranking Member Vela ́zquez for her remarks, 

if she has any, on the rule package. 

Ms. VELA ́ ZQUEZ. I made my remarks. 

Chairman GRAVES. Okay. So are there any other Members that 

have any comments on the rules package? 

And if not, we will just move straight forward. 

I would now move that the Committee move to consideration of 

the rules package, and The Clerk can read them. 

Ms. CHRISTIAN. Rules and Procedures Adopted by the Committee 

on Small Business, United States House of Representatives, 112th 

Congress. 

Chairman GRAVES. Okay. I would ask unanimous consent that 

the rules package be considered as read and open for amendment 

in its entirety. Does any Member seek recognition for the purpose 

of offering an amendment? 

Seeing no amendments to the question on adopting the rules, all 

those in favor say aye. 


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[Chorus of ayes] 

Chairman GRAVES. All opposed, no? It is the opinion of the Chair 

that the ayes have it. The Rules of the Small Business Committee 

of the 112th Congress are now adopted. 

Today’s second order of business is to consider the Committee’s 

Oversight Plan. This plan represents the agenda for the Committee 

during the 112th Congress. I want to thank Ranking Member 

Vela ́zquez for her input into this Oversight Plan. During my tenure 

on this Committee I have recognized significant management 

issues at the Small Business Administration, discovered that small 

businesses obviously must climb substantial barriers to enter Federal contracting markets. We determined that Federal agencies ignore the impact of their regulations on entrepreneurs in many 

cases. I believe that the Oversight Plan reflects those concerns and 

sets an appropriately aggressive agenda for the Committee to develop policies that will benefit small businesses and help the economy create much needed jobs. 

With that, I would yield to Ranking Member Vela ́zquez for any 

comments she has on the Oversight Plan. 

Ms. VELA ́ ZQUEZ. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

The Oversight Plan sets forth a policy framework for this Congress and the Chairman is to be commended on producing a 

thoughtful document. While our broad jurisdiction provides the 

basis to look into just about any policy matter affecting small businesses, I am heartened by its emphasis on job creation. This is a 

very appropriate use of our Committee’s time and resources. It 

calls for the robust oversight of the Small Business Administration 

and other Federal small business initiatives, a long tradition that 

this Committee takes seriously. A recent examination of the Small 

Business Disaster and Contracting Program has produced positive 

changes and are but two examples of the benefits that congressional oversight can produce. 

Finally, the Oversight Plan delineates several programs for review and possible termination. Our past work has revealed that 

there are agency programs that lack a clear focus and may be duplicative. It has always been a part of our core responsibility to 

carefully examine such instances and consider alternative options 

as well as their elimination. This is central to why I have always 

advocated for the two-year authorization period for the Small Business Administration and its programs. 

Federal agencies must justify the programs they operate regularly and Congress should be seeking feedback from stakeholders 

about what is working and what is not. Collaborating with my colleagues on these matters and making the SBA more efficient in its 

use of taxpayer dollars is a top priority. Congress needs a clear 

agenda for assisting small firms, and it is paramount that we start 

addressing these issues as soon as possible. By doing so we have 

the potential to truly help create new jobs and move the economy 

forward. 

With that, I urge Members to approve this Oversight Plan. 

Chairman GRAVES. In the essence of time, because we have votes 

at 1:15, I will move directly to the consideration of the Oversight 

Plan. Will the Clerk please read the title? 


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Ms. CHRISTIAN. Oversight Plan of the Committee on Small Business for the 112th Congress. 

Chairman GRAVES. I would ask unanimous consent that the 

Oversight Plan be considered as read and open for amendment in 

its entirety. Does any Member seek recognition for the purpose of 

offering an amendment? 

Seeing no amendments the question is on adopting the oversight 

package. All of those in favor say aye. 

[Chorus of ayes] 

Chairman GRAVES. All opposed say no. 

It is the opinion of the chair that the ayes have it. The Oversight 

Plan for the Small Business Committee of the 112th Congress is 

adopted. 

With that real quick, and since they called the roll, I do want to 

thank Ranking Member Vela ́zquez for the way the Committee 

worked. And for the new Members, this Committee does a real 

good job of working together in the best interest of small business. 

And it has always been that way and I want it to continue that 

way. 

Chairwoman Vela ́zquez had a gavel that she used which I 

thought was pretty neat because it was part of her native Puerto 

Rico. It was special wood that came from there and I told her if 

she was smart she would get a Missouri walnut gavel, which I 

have for her now, which I am going to give to her. But this gavel, 

my great, great grandparents built a house on one of our farms in 

1865, and the wood out of that house, when my brother took that 

over, we kept a bunch of it and this is part of the stair railing that 

went down to the basement in that house. And my son turned this 

gavel, made it. This is real Missouri walnut and it came out of my 

family’s home. 

We could not have two districts that are completely different. I 

drove through the Ranking Member’s district here not too long ago. 

You did not know that. And I think the only thing that we have 

in common is she represents the only tri-borough district in the 

country and I have the town of Westboro in my district. And I 

think that is the only thing that we have in common between us. 

But with that, this is a Missouri walnut gavel and I wanted to 

give that to you. 

Ms. VELA ́ ZQUEZ. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. 

You might be looking for trouble. 

Chairman GRAVES. That’s right. 

Ms. VELA ́ ZQUEZ. Thank you very much. Very kind. And for the 

new Members who were not here when we made our opening remarks, let me just echo the words and comments made by our 

Chairman. Here we care about providing the tools and making sure 

that we have a climate that is conducive for small businesses to do 

what they do best and that is to create jobs. We work in a bipartisan way. We have done it in the past and I look forward to a collaborative and productive two years. That will not mean that we 

do not have our differences. 

Chairman GRAVES. That is right. 

Ms. VELA ́ ZQUEZ. And they will be clearly stated. But as much as 

we can, we will address those issues in a bipartisan climate. 


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Chairman GRAVES. I want to thank everybody for coming. I look 

forward to working with you. So this meeting of the Small Business 

Committee is adjourned. 

[Whereupon, at 1:14 p.m., the Committee was adjourned.] 


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