Cortez Masto Pushes Bipartisan Legislation to Support Entrepreneurship and Small Businesses

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Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) is reintroducing two pieces of bipartisan legislation to promote professional development in entrepreneurship for underserved students and to support new business development.

“I’m working to ensure that the next generation of Nevada’s innovators can get a strong start on their brightest ideas and to make it easier to start new businesses,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “My bipartisan bills will connect our young entrepreneurs with seasoned professionals to learn how to get their ideas off the ground and will cut red tape that can keep new business owners from growing to their full potential.”

The bipartisan 21st Century Entrepreneurship Act, which is cosponsored by U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to encourage entrepreneurship training in after-school and summer programs and to develop a curriculum for Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) volunteers to support and mentor underserved students. The bill connects students who are enrolled in 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) with mentors from SCORE, which has a volunteer network of over 11,000 working or retired business owners.

The Supporting NEW BUSINESSES Act, which is cosponsored by U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), requires the SBA to provide annual awards to recognize State and local governments that improve the process of forming a new business and make it easier for small businesses to get off the ground.

"Nevada must continue to be a place where entrepreneurs can excel, and this can only be done through creative bills like the 21^st Century Entrepreneurship Act and the Supporting NEW BUSINESSES Act,” said Peter Guzman, President of the Latin Chamber of Commerce. “At the Latin Chamber of Commerce, we are always reaching out to our youth, because we've seen how mentorship and entrepreneurial skills early on can make a long-lasting difference. We also know that the key to the success of a small business to be able to streamline and get open for business. We commend Senator Cortez Masto for her steadfast commitment to small business entrepreneurs, and we embrace all efforts to implement innovative solutions to cut red tape, reduce bureaucracy and make it easier for entrepreneurs to build successful businesses.”