Hirono, Colleagues Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Give Native American Small Businesses a Seat at SBA Table

~ Bipartisan bill would establish an Associate Administrator position, dedicate funding at SBA's Office of Native American Affairs ~

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senators John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) in reintroducing legislation to increase the representation and financial resources available to Native American-owned businesses, which include tribally-owned, Alaska Native-owned, and Native Hawaiian-owned businesses. The Native American Entrepreneurial and Opportunity Act would ensure funding for the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Office of Native Americans Affairs (ONAA), increasing ONAA's ability to offer tailored support to Native American businesses. The bill would also ensure that there would be an Associate Administrator for Native American Affairs who would report directly to the SBA Administrator.

"As we work to support small businesses and entrepreneurs in Hawaii and across the country, it's critical that we support Native businesses," said Senator Hirono. "I'm proud to join Senators Hickenlooper, Mullin, and Sullivan in introducing the Native American Entrepreneurial and Opportunity Act to enable the SBA to better serve Native businesses, including Native Hawaiian businesses."

Last Congress, the senators introduced the legislation and helped advance it out of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, of which Senator Hirono is a member. The SBA's Office of Native American Affairs is designed to empower Native businesses and entrepreneurs by making sure they can access the SBA's full range of business development and financial tools. However, the office's outreach and influence is currently limited due to a lack of funding.

Specifically, the Native American Entrepreneurial and Opportunity Act would bolster the resources available to Native American entrepreneurs by:

1. Providing a steady and predictable source of ONAA funding so that SBA resources can support more Native businesses; and
2. Ensuring an Associate Administrator for Native American Affairs who would report directly to the SBA Administrator, in order to provide effective policy leadership for Native businesses.

The full text of the legislation is available here.

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