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Evans Named as Vice Chair of Small Business Committee; Will Serve on Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight and Regulations

January 30, 2019

Congressman Dwight Evans (PA-03) has been named as vice chair of the House Small Business Committee. He will also serve on the Small Business Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight and Regulations.

"From my work revitalizing West Oak Lane and other neighborhoods, I know how important small businesses are to our communities and to our economy. I'm pleased that I'll be able to continue serving on the Small Business Committee and in an enhanced role, in addition to recently joining the powerful Ways and Means Committee, which oversees taxes, trade, Social Security and Medicare," Evans said.

"Congressman Evans has been a steadfast champion for small businesses in Pennsylvania's 3rd District and across the country," said Small Business Committee Chairwoman Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY). "This year, I am thrilled to welcome him back to the Committee in his new role as Vice Chair of the Committee and as a Member of the Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight, and Regulations. I look forward to working closely with him to unlock affordable capital for small firms, expand access to the federal procurement marketplace, and ensure that Congress is working to break down the barriers facing women and minority entrepreneurs."

Evans is beginning his second full term in Congress. In his first full term, he successfully worked to have two of his small-business bills become law.

Evans' 7(a) Real Estate Harmonization Act is designed to lower the cost of doing business by requiring fewer mandatory appraisals for 7(a) Small Business Administration real estate loans. Appraisal costs passed on to SBA borrowers should be greatly reduced since formal appraisals would only be mandatory on loans over $500,000, instead of the current $250,000, or above any threshold established by the regulators in the future. Updating the Small Business Act statutory appraisal threshold is important to both SBA lending partners and small business borrowers.

Evans' first small-business legislation to become law was passed as a Senate bill that was identical to his Small Business Innovation Protection Act. That new law will require the SBA and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to work together to create valuable training for domestic and international patent protection for America's small businesses. The innovation law also will require the USPTO to work with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) network to provide critical training on both domestic and international intellectual property protections for small business owners and entrepreneurs.

On the first day of the new Congress, Evans reintroduced his bill, H.R. 159, that would require the Small Business Administration to establish a grant program to address rising costs of tax compliance for small business concerns. The grants would go to small business development centers and women's business centers.

"One of the keys to addressing poverty is investing in businesses who can recruit, train, and hire people who want to work but sometimes lack some of the necessary skills. I look forward to employing more tools in the toolbox to help people get a leg up," Evans said.

Media Contact: Ben Turner, Ben.Turner@mail.house.gov