Aguilar hosts discussion to highlight opportunities for county businesses

Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-31) recently hosted a roundtable discussion with U.S. Small Business Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet and Inland Empire lending partners to highlight opportunities for local businesses and startups to grow their workforce and increase access to credit and capital in San Bernardino County.

Aguilar invited Contreras-Sweet to the Inland Empire for the event, which was held at the Inland Empire Economic Partnership.

"I'm glad the administrator could join us for such an important event. I look forward to working with our local business owners and the Small Business Administration to ensure better communication between the local and national levels so Inland Empire business owners have the resources they need to expand their workforce and grow their business," said Aguilar.

"At the SBA, we are making the agency's initials stand for smart, bold, and accessible, through programs like Startup In A Day, which challenges local cities to streamline their small business permitting process and take it online; and through the State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) program, which helps entrepreneurs take bolder steps into international markets, we are living up to those words," said Contreras-Sweet. "By making our services accessible to all communities and investing in our underserved small businesses, they are able to create jobs and opportunities that are lifting up the Inland Empire, all of California and our country."

The SBA empowers small businesses throughout the nation to grow and expand by helping them increase capital, facilitate contracting, and provide counseling to entrepreneurs and business owners.

Last year alone, the SBA supported or assisted with more than $127 million in loans throughout California's 31st Congressional District.