[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 264 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 264

Expressing the sense of the Senate that small business participation is 
vital to the defense of our Nation, and that Federal, State, and local 
   governments should aggressively seek out and purchase innovative 
  technologies and services from American small businesses to help in 
           homeland defense and the fight against terrorism.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 8, 2002

     Mr. Kerry (for himself and Mr. Bond) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Small Business and 
                            Entrepreneurship

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Senate that small business participation is 
vital to the defense of our Nation, and that Federal, State, and local 
   governments should aggressively seek out and purchase innovative 
  technologies and services from American small businesses to help in 
           homeland defense and the fight against terrorism.

Whereas on September 11, 2001, the people of the United States were subject to 
        the worst terrorist attack in American history;
Whereas in October 2001, the Pentagon's Technical Support Working Group, which 
        is responsible for seeking new technologies to assist the military, sent 
        an urgent plea, seeking ideas on how to fight terrorism;
Whereas in just 2 months, over 12,500 ideas were submitted to the Technical 
        Support Working Group, most of them from small businesses;
Whereas small businesses remain the most innovative sector of the United States 
        economy, accounting for the vast majority of new product ideas and 
        technological innovations; and
Whereas despite their achievements, small businesses often have difficulty 
        marketing and supplying goods and services to Federal, State, and local 
        governments: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) small business participation is vital to the defense of 
        the United States and should play an active role in assisting 
        the United States military, Federal intelligence and law 
        enforcement agencies, and State and local police forces to 
        combat terrorism through the design and development of 
        innovative products; and
            (2) Federal, State, and local governments should 
        aggressively seek out and purchase innovative technologies and 
        services from, and promote research opportunities for, American 
        small businesses to help in homeland defense and the fight 
        against terrorism.
                                 <all>