Indian small businesses were represented at a White House event on Monday when President Barack Obama announced plans to help entrepreneurs through the recession.

Caddo Solutions, Liz Hill PR, Native American Natural Foods, Red Hand Media, Seventh Generation Concepts and the Inter Tribal Economic Alliance took part in the meeting. One Indian entrepreneur said Obama wants small businesses to succeed.

"Even as bad as the economy is, it really left me hopeful that we have a leader who cares and walks his talk. He's working toward the same things we're working for," Mark Tilsen, a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe who helped start Native American Natural Foods, told the Associated Press.

Under Obama's plan, the Small Business Administration will purchase up to $15 billion in small business loans made by community bank, guarantees for SBA-backed loans will be increased temporarily to 90 percent and fees on SBA loans will be eliminated temporarily.

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Pine Ridge business attends White House meeting (AP 3/19)

White House Documents:
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT TO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, COMMUNITY LENDERS AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS | Help for small business, condemnation for AIG bonuses