[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 72 (Friday, June 5, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S5732]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS WEEK

 Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I would like to express my support 
and admiration to small business owners and entrepreneurs during the 
first week of June, otherwise known as National Small Business Week. It 
is appropriate that during this week of recognition that we honor the 
many contributions entrepreneurs have made to strengthen our 
communities and our national economy.
  As the Ranking Democrat of the Small Business Committee, I have 
followed the dramatic growth of thousands of small businesses and have 
worked to champion their success by increasing access to capital, 
expanding Women's Business Centers, improving business education and 
technical assistance, and reducing capital gains taxes. Under 
Democratic Leadership, the Small Business Administration now annually 
guarantees about $10 billion in loans to small businesses, and has 
increased loans to women business-owners by 86 percent.
  Small businesses are changing the face of the economy by creating 
jobs and bringing prosperity to small towns and cities across the 
country. Nationwide, small businesses represent 99.7 percent of all 
employers and provide 67 percent of workers with their first jobs. 
Smaller firms are also more likely to be flexible and hire workers from 
many segments of the economy, including younger workers, older workers, 
women, minorities, and people interested in working part time.
  In the state of Massachusetts, we have two outstanding business 
owners that deserve special recognition. Cassie Farmer, President and 
Roberta Adams, Vice President/Treasurer of New World Securities 
Associates, Inc, have been named State Small Business Persons of the 
Year by the Small Business Administration, and have been honored this 
week here in Washington.
  Ms. Farmer and Ms. Adams began their security business just eight 
years ago with fifteen employees, one patrol car, and a few clients. 
They invested their personal savings to get the company off the ground. 
By 1997, their company has grown to employ 240 people with annual sales 
of $5 million. The Dorchester-based company is not only the largest 
employer within the Dorchester/Roxbury/Mattapan area, but is also the 
largest women/minority owned security company in Massachusetts. I 
congratulate them on their success.

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