Making Government Work Better for Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners

 Today was an important day for America's small businesses.  President Obama asked Congress for the authority to reorganize and modernize government and he elevated my position as the SBA Administrator to Cabinet-level status.These actions are a reflection of the importance he places on small business, economic growth, and job creation.He asked Congress for the authority that Presidents from Hoover to Reagan have had to reorganize and modernize the federal government.  This authority lapsed in 1984, but, today, the federal government needs to be updated to ensure that it meets the demands of entrepreneurs and small business owners in the 21st century.The President’s first proposal under this authority would be to create a unified department focused on economic growth and job creation, so that we can be more effective at helping businesses do what they do best – create jobs.For the entrepreneurs and small business owners that SBA and other agencies serve, this is very good news.  A more integrated approach would ensure that small businesses would have access to all of the federal government’s programs in a more seamless, coordinated, and coherent way.I’m honored to become a member of the President’s Cabinet, and I’ll continue to provide input to the President on how we can grow the economy and empower entrepreneurs and small business owners.  At the SBA, we will work to build on the accomplishments we’ve made over the past three years, such as the record $30.5 billion in SBA lending support we provided to over 60,000 small businesses last year.It is important for Congress to act quickly to provide the President the authority he needs to make government work better and to help America’s businesses as they drive innovation and competitiveness, grow our economy, and create jobs.

About the Author

Karen Gordon Mills is the Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBA helps both Main Street and high-growth small businesses get access to capital, counseling, federal contracts, disaster assistance and more.