III 109th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 120 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 25, 2005 Ms. Snowe (for herself, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Talent, Mr. Vitter, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Burns, Mr. Bond, Mr. Allen, Mr. Isakson, and Ms. Landrieu) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Honoring small businesses during the Small Business Administration's National Small Business Week, the week beginning April 24, 2005.

Whereas America’s 25,000,000 small businesses have fueled the Nation’s economy, creating more than 3/4 of all new jobs and accounting for more than 50 percent of the Nation's gross domestic product; Whereas small businesses are the Nation’s innovators, advancing technology and fueling the economic growth and productivity; Whereas the Small Business Administration has been a critical partner in the success of the Nation’s small businesses and these businesses' continued economic growth; Whereas the mission of the Small Business Administration is to maintain and strengthen the Nation’s economy by aiding, counseling, assisting, and protecting the interests of small businesses and by helping families and small businesses recover from natural disasters; Whereas the Small Business Administration has helped small businesses access critical lending opportunities, protected small businesses from excessive Federal regulatory enforcement, played a key role in ensuring full and open competition for government contracts, and improved the economic environment in which small businesses compete; Whereas the Small Business Administration, which was established in 1953, has also provided valuable service to small businesses through financial assistance, technical assistance, procurement assistance, small business advocacy, and disaster recovery assistance; Whereas for over 50 years the Small Business Administration has helped approximately 22,000,000 Americans start, grow, and expand their businesses and has placed almost $250,000,000,000 in loans and venture capital financing into the hands of entrepreneurs; Whereas the Small Business Administration has helped millions of entrepreneurs achieve the American dream of owning a small business; and Whereas the Small Business Administration will mark National Small Business Week, the week beginning April 24, 2005: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1)honors small businesses during the Small Business Administration's National Small Business Week, the week beginning April 24, 2005; (2)supports the purpose and goals of National Small Business Week; and (3)commends the Small Business Administration and the Small Business Administration’s resource partners— (A)for their work, which has been critical in helping the Nation’s small businesses grow and develop; and (B)for being key players in the Nation’s economic vitality.