[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 320 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 320

   Designating November 26, 2011, as ``Small Business Saturday'' and 
supporting efforts to increase awareness of the value of locally owned 
                           small businesses.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 10, 2011

     Ms. Landrieu (for herself, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Brown of 
  Massachusetts, Mrs. Hagan, Ms. Ayotte, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Enzi, Mr. 
Cardin, Mr. Risch, Mr. Pryor, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Carper, 
   Mr. Udall of New Mexico, Mr. Merkley, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Wyden, Mr. 
    Tester, Mr. Begich, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Webb, Ms. 
  Stabenow, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Alexander, Ms. 
    Collins, Mr. Kirk, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Roberts, and Mr. Hoeven) 
 submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Designating November 26, 2011, as ``Small Business Saturday'' and 
supporting efforts to increase awareness of the value of locally owned 
                           small businesses.

Whereas small businesses represent 99.7 percent of all businesses having 
        employees (commonly referred to as ``employer firms'') in the United 
        States;
Whereas small businesses employ \1/2\ of the employees in the private sector in 
        the United States;
Whereas small businesses pay 44 percent of the total payroll of the employees in 
        the private sector in the United States;
Whereas small businesses are responsible for more than 50 percent of the 
        private, nonfarm product of the gross domestic product;
Whereas small businesses generated 65 percent of net new jobs during the last 17 
        years;
Whereas small businesses generate 60 to 80 percent of all new jobs annually;
Whereas small businesses focus on 2 key strategies: deepening relationships with 
        customers and creating value for customers;
Whereas, for every $100 spent with locally owned, independent stores, $68 
        returns to the community through local taxes, payroll, and other 
        expenditures;
Whereas 92 percent of consumers in the United States agree that the success of 
        small businesses is critical to the overall economic health of the 
        United States;
Whereas 93 percent of consumers in the United States agree that small businesses 
        contribute positively to the local community by supplying jobs and 
        generating tax revenue;
Whereas 91 percent of consumers in the United States have small businesses in 
        their community that the consumers would miss if the small businesses 
        closed;
Whereas 99 percent of consumers in the United States agree that it is important 
        to support the small businesses in their community; and
Whereas 90 percent of consumers in the United States are willing to pledge 
        support for a ``buy local'' movement: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates November 26, 2011, as ``Small Business 
        Saturday''; and
            (2) supports efforts--
                    (A) to encourage consumers to shop locally; and
                    (B) to increase awareness of the value of locally 
                owned small businesses and the impact of locally owned 
                small businesses on the economy of the United States.
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