This campaign has ended.
Dear Members of Congress:
As business Leaders we urge you to support a bill introduced by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Congressman Andy Kim (D-NJ). The legislation, Small Business Regulatory Relief Act, would expand the assistance provided by the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of the National Ombudsman (ONO), which works with federal agencies across the government to review complaints made by small businesses, reduce or waive penalties, and reverse unfair agency decisions. The United States has about 30 million small businesses.
The bill empowers SBA’s Office of the National Ombudsman to:
- Enhance outreach to small businesses. Most small businesses are unaware of the Ombudsman’s services. The legislation directs the Ombudsman to develop outreach initiatives to promote awareness and increase the office’s visibility.
- Develop best practice guidelines for agencies to address small business regulatory concerns. Although federal agencies are required to provide compliance assistance programs for small businesses, the quality of these programs vary significantly. The legislation directs the Ombudsman to collaborate with federal agencies to develop best practice guidelines for federal agencies to help small businesses comply with rules through training webinars, compliance guides, and improved customer service.
- Increase the visibility of the Ombudsman and enhance collaboration at federal agencies. The legislation establishes a single point of public contact at each federal agency to work with the Ombudsman to find fair regulatory solutions for small businesses.
- Expand the ability of the Ombudsman to help small businesses selling to the federal government. To sell to the federal government, small businesses must navigate complex regulations established by each agency. The legislation ensures the Ombudsman can advocate on behalf of more small businesses by clarifying the office also covers federal contracting regulations.
Sincerely,
