On Tuesday, September 24, the Board of Directors of the American Booksellers Association sent a letter to the leaders of the U.S. House and Senate, urging them to avert a government shutdown.

SBA Administrator Karen Mills notes that tax incentives included in the Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, better known as the “fiscal cliff deal,” provide small businesses with “some really good news.”

For booksellers seeking small, short-term loans, the SBA’s Microloan Program may be the answer. Here’s a refresher on key features of the program, which offers loans up to $50,000 to start-up, newly established, or growing small businesses.

Karen Mills, the head of the U.S. Small Business Administration, talks about some of the key steps SBA has taken to help small businesses over the last two years, the challenges facing Main Street businesses today, SBA’s new loan initiatives and online resources, and more. Mills will be interviewed by PBS NewsHour’s Jim Lehrer at the opening event at this month’s Winter Institute.

After months of debate, on Thursday, September 16, the Senate passed the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act. H.R. 5297 now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives, where it is expected to pass.

The Small Business Majority and the National Small Business Association want the Senate to pass the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act (H.R. 5297), a bill the groups believe will address crucial problems facing small businesses during the current recession.

At an April 6 meeting between the American Booksellers Association and the Small Business Administration, the SBA asked if ABA member bookstores would offer their evaluation and feedback regarding the clarity and ease of use of a questionnaire related to Small Business Health Care Tax Credits.

Addressing the credit needs of small business was the focus of a recent forum hosted by the Treasury Department and the Small Business Administration. The Small Business Financing Forum, on Wednesday, November 18, sought to find the best ideas and strategies for expanding access to financing for small businesses. The forum, which President Obama called for last month, featured Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, SBA Administrator Karen Mills, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Sen.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has recently answered a question regarding which loans and debts qualify for payment under an American Recovery Capital (ARC) loan.

Small businesses seeking to expand will be able to refinance existing loans used to purchase real estate and other fixed assets as a result of permanent changes to the U.S. Small Business Administration's 504 Certified Development Company loan program.