What Happened: On Wednesday, July 10, AAHOA Member Nilay “Niel” Patel had the opportunity to give a Back-of-the-House tour to Congressman Aaron Bean (R-FL), who serves Florida’s 4th Congressional District. The tour was conducted at Microtel Inn and Suites Jacksonville Airport in Jacksonville, FL.

Why It Matters: During the tour, Patel discussed critical issues impacting small businesses with Congressman Bean, including convening a roundtable discussion in the hotel to discuss an increase in SBA 7(a) loans from $5 million to $10 million. 

• AAHOA has long advocated for increases to SBA loan limits. Several months ago, Congressman Shri Thanedar (MI-13) announced the introduction of the Loans In Our Neighborhoods (LIONS) Act.

• The LIONS Act is a bill designed to amend the Small Business Act by increasing the maximum gross loan amount for section 7(a) loans from $5M to $10M, providing greater financial support to small businesses. Discussing the LIONS Act with Congressman Bean brings further awareness of the issue, and bipartisan support can be garnered.

“The insights and perspectives shared during this tour were invaluable, and I’m optimistic about positive changes on the horizon,” said Patel in a LinkedIn post about the tour.

AAHOA expresses gratitude to Congressman Bean for supporting hoteliers and small businesses, the backbone of America’s economy.