PRESS RELEASE
February 12, 2014

LATINO LEADERS SEND LETTER TO SENATE SMALL BUSINESS COMMITTEE URGING SUPPORT FOR MARIA CONTRERAS-SWEET, NOMINEE TO HEAD SBA

NHLA urges swift Senate confirmation of Latina business and community leader who would be second Latino in President's Cabinet and highest-ranking Latina in the Administration

Washington, DC—In advance of the scheduled hearing on her nomination, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), the coalition of 37 preeminent national Latino organizations, today sent a letter to United States Senators, Mary Landrieu and James A. Risch, the Chair and Ranking Member respectively, of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Enterpreneurship urging their support for Maria Contreras-Sweet, nominee to lead the Small Business Administration (SBA).

With an extensive background in business and public service, from her leadership at ProAmérica Bank and as former California Secretary of Business, Transportation, and Housing, NHLA fully supports her nomination and believes that Contreras-Sweet will be a valuable addition to the President’s Cabinet. Upon confirmation by the U.S. Senate, Contreras-Sweet would fill the final slot in the president’s second term Cabinet and become the highest ranking Latina in the Obama Administration among the eight women and two Latinos who will have Cabinet or Cabinet-level posts this term.

Since creating its Latino Appointments Program in January 2013, NHLA has worked tirelessly to increase the representation of Latinos in the Administration, specifically at the Cabinet-level. Its stated goal was to ensure that the second-term Obama Cabinet consisted of at least three Latinos that would best represent the diversity of the nation, and as such will rigorously advocate on behalf of Contreras-Sweet (who NHLA recommended in a letter to the President on January 16, 2013) to ensure her confirmation to the Cabinet level position.

Below is the text of the letter to Senators Landrieu and Risch.

February 12, 2014

Honorable Mary Landrieu Chair U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship 428A Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510

Honorable James E. Risch Ranking Member U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship 428A Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chair Landrieu and Ranking Member Risch,

On behalf of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of the 37 preeminent national Latino organizations in the country, we write in support of the nomination of Maria Contreras-Sweet to lead the Small Business Administration (SBA). We request that this letter of support be placed into the official record of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Our membership, which represents millions of Hispanic Americans across our nation, unanimously supports Ms. Contreras-Sweet’s nomination and we urge you to move expeditiously toward confirmation. As you will discover upon examination, she has significant accomplishments in the private sector. Her unique background in business and government administration will make her a great asset both to the agency and the small business community. Her proven leadership skills will help propel Latina-owned businesses, which represent the fastest growing segment of the women-owned business market, to even greater heights of success.

Her experience and understanding of the small business community emanates from her current position as Executive Chairwoman of ProAmérica Bank, a Los Angeles-based community bank focused on lending to small and medium-size enterprises. Prior to her founding of ProAmérica, she created an international management-consulting firm, the Contreras-Sweet Company, which boasted Disney, Coca-Cola and the Getty Museum, among others, as clients. The success of ProAmérica and her work with other business ventures, demonstrate Ms. Contreras-Sweet’s expertise in addressing the unique needs of the business community.

In relation to her direct administrative competency, Ms. Contreras–Sweet also served in public office as California’s Secretary of the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency for five years. As Secretary, she oversaw a $14 billion budget and a workforce of 42,000 employees. She was recognized for her outstanding service by the California State Legislature with the Spirit of California awards for her many contributions to the state. In our view, the totality of her professional career provides evidence that Ms. Contreras-Sweet has the requisite experience to succeed as Administrator of the SBA.

Moving forward on this nomination, it is our intent to score all votes associated with this nomination in our NHLA Congressional Scorecard on the 113th Congress. The NHLA Congressional Scorecard rates members of Congress on votes taken in the House and Senate that our membership deems important to the social, economic, and political advancement and quality of life of Hispanic Americans. Thank you for your consideration of our views.

Sincerely,

Hector Sanchez

Chair, National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) Executive Director, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA)

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Established in 1991, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) brings together Hispanic leaders to establish policy priorities that address, and raise public awareness of, the major issues affecting the Latino community and the nation as a whole. In 2013, NHLA launched the Latinos United for a Fair Economy campaign. For more information, please visit www.nationalhispanicleadership.org or http://latinosunited.org/faireconomy and follow @NHLAgenda.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: | Melody Gonzales | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (202) 508-6917 | | Brenda Arredondo | //nationalhispanicleadership.org/headlines/latino_leaders_send_letter_to_senate_small_business_committee_urging_support_for_maria_contreras-sweet_nominee_to_head_sba/This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.%20">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (915) 373-1483 |

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