Senator Murray’s Statement on President Obama’s Signing of the Small Business Jobs Act

(Washington,
D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following
statement about the signing of the Small Business Jobs Act into law by
President Obama.

Earlier
this month, Senator
Murray spoke on the Senate floor to strongly urge her colleagues to put
politics aside and support the Small Business Jobs Act. Senator Murray has been
a long-time advocate for a $30 billion fund to help community banks lend to
small businesses. Last year she introduced similar legislation and worked
directly with Secretary Tim Geithner and President Obama to make certain that
small businesses on Main Street are given the support they need.

Joe
Fugere, owner of Seattle-based Tutta Bella, joined the President at the signing
ceremony. During President
Obama’s last visit to Seattle, Joe had the opportunity to participate in a
small business roundtable to highlight the importance of providing small
businesses with access to credit and loans.

Read
Senator Murray’s statement below:

“This
is a major victory for small businesses and job-seekers throughout our state.
This lending program will allow Washington state’s small businesses to once
again be the engine of job growth in our state.

“For
too long small business owners have gone to community banks, seeking credit and
loans so they can expand their business and hire more people only to find the
lending windows closed. Some small business owners turned to credit cards,
amassing huge personal debts with high interest rates. Others closed their
stores, unable to pay employees and stock their shelves. This bill will provide
real relief for small business owners.

“As I
traveled across Washington state, small business owners like Joe Fugere would
tell me over and over again that what they need most is credit to expand their
business and hire more people. This critical legislation will do just that by
expanding lending at community banks across Washington state.

“I’m
so proud to have worked to get this critical legislation passed and to the
President’s desk to help Joe and small business owners like him across the
state. This is a huge step to getting small businesses hiring again.”