WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., has introduced legislation (H.R. 5297) to "create the Small Business Lending Fund Program to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to make capital investments in eligible institutions in order to increase the availability of credit for small businesses." The bill was introduced on May 13 and has 18 co-sponsors. Co-sponsors are Reps. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., Carolyn B. Maloney, D-N.Y., Luis V. Gutierrez, D-Ill., Melvin L. Watt, D-N.C., Dennis M  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., has introduced legislation (H.R. 5318) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to "waive the ten-percent penalty on early distributions from individual retirement plans for small business investments." The bill was introduced on May 14 and has 12 co-sponsors. Co-sponsors are Reps. Mike Pence, R-Ind., Roscoe G. Bartlett, R-Md., Rob Bishop, R-Utah, Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Trent Franks, R-Ariz., Kay Granger, R-Texas, Ralph M. Hall, D-Texas,   more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan., has introduced legislation (H.R. 5298) to "require the Secretary of Defense to take illegal subsidization into account in evaluating proposals for contracts for major defense acquisition programs." The bill was introduced on May 13 and has 28 co-sponsors. Co-sponsors are Reps. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., Jay Inslee, D-Wash., Roy Blunt, R-Mo., Lamar S. Smith, R-Texas, Jerry Moran, R-Kan., Jo Ann Emerson, R-Mo., Wm. Lacy Clay Jr., D-Mo., Blaine Luetkem  more