House Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Boost Support for Indigenous Entrepreneurs

In a rare moment of bipartisanship, the House of Representatives passed a bill today that will strengthen support for Native American entrepreneurs.

The Native American Entrepreneurial Opportunity Act, co-sponsored by Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS) and Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), would pave the way for more funding and expanded services for the Office of Native American Affairs (ONAA) at the Small Business Administration. If passed into law, the legislation would codify the ONAA under federal law and establish a new administrative role for the agency.

Currently, the ONAA primarily provides limited outreach efforts utilizing a small staff, and can be unilaterally disbanded at any time. Codification under the above act would protect the ONAA and expand its services to include field offices, tribal consultations, training and counseling, and the ability to make grants.

https://nativenewsonline.net/currents/house-passes-bipartisan-legislation-to-boost-support-for-indigenous-entrepreneurs