SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.

SEC. 231. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS. (a) Findings.—The Congress finds that— (1) small business concerns remain a thriving and vital part of the economy, accounting for the majority of new jobs, new products, and new services created in the United States; (2) adequate access to either debt or equity capital is a critical component of small business formation, expansion, and success; (3) small business concerns, which represent higher degrees of risk in financial markets than do large businesses, are experiencing increased difficulties in obtaining credit; (4) minority-owned business enterprises have found extraordinary difficulties in obtaining credit; and (5) demand for credit under the loan guarantee program contained in section 7(a) of the Small Business Act is insufficient to meet current demands. (b) Sense of the Congress.— It is the sense of the Congress that— (1) financial institutions should expand their efforts to provide credit to small business concerns, with special emphasis on minority-owned small business concerns; (2) legislation and regulations considered by the Congress should be carefully examined to ensure that small business concerns are not negatively impacted; and (3) legislation and regulations that enhance the viability of small business concerns, including changes in tax and health care policy, should be given a priority for passage by the Congress.