UTICA, N.Y. -- Helping minority and women-owned businesses succeed is why some lawmakers say they're supporting a piece of bipartisan legislation.

Area officials joined Senator Kirsten Gillibrand at the Utica Women's Business Center on Monday. They're pushing for the Microloan Modernization Act. Lawmakers said it would expand the Small Business Administration's Microloan Program which provides loans and technical assistance to minority and women business owners.

They want to make it easier for entrepreneurs to access capital.

The Women's Business Center Project Director said getting a loan is difficult for many but this legislation could help.

"For most of them, yes, because they're usually one or two people in a business that we help start. So, if they don't have their own personal funding, then a small little loan helps them start their business," said Women's Business Center of NYS Project Director Donna Rebisz.

The bill is now heading to the Senate.