Today, theNew Democrat Coalition unveiled a comprehensive agenda aimed at encouraging innovation and boosting small businesses. The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Agenda builds upon the New Democrats' long standing commitment to policies that embrace technology and innovation to drive sustainable economic growth, competitive businesses and a strong workforce.
"Small businesses in America are vital to rebuilding our economy and achieving long term economic growth," Congressman Scott said. "As a member of the New Democrat Coalition, I believe this plan would grow our economy by bolstering competitiveness of US companies in the global marketplace and encouraging entrepreneurship."
Specifically, the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Agenda would:
Invest in People:
Providing better access to capital for American small businesses;
Working with states to free up small business lending;
Improving the SBA Express Loan Program;
Recapitalizing community banks and the auto industry;
Quadrupling the deduction for small business start-up costs;
Creating small business start-up accounts;
Providing more opportunities for mid-career education;
Creating a Lifelong Learning Account (LiLA) Pilot Program;
Investing in the innovators of tomorrow;
Investing in Ideas:
Establishing more generous tax credits for R&D;
Offering a bonus R&D credit for American manufacturers;
Reauthorizing existing programs that encourage small business innovation, SBIR & SBTT;
Modifying the Advanced Energy Project Credit to include bio-refiners;
Eliminating the patent backlog;
Helping companies and workers compete and win:
Creating a Clean Energy Development Administration;
Creating Clean Energy Business Zones;
Increasing funding for the International Trade Administration;
Recruiting more jobs for America; and
Improving export financing.
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Click here to view the full New Democrats' Agenda for Innovation & Entrepreneurship
