[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 57 (Wednesday, May 8, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H2171]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS WEEK

  (Mr. PHELPS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PHELPS. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to speak 
today on behalf of National Small Business Week. Small businesses play 
a crucial role in the economy of our Nation, and it is important that 
we take this week to recognize their efforts.
  As a member of the Committee on Small Business and a former small 
business owner, I am aware of the everyday difficulties that many of 
our Nation's small businesses have to face. We must work together to 
ensure that their needs are met and not put behind the needs of 
corporate America.
  With approximately 25 million small businesses in the United States, 
we need to focus on affordable health care for the small business 
employer and employee. We must ensure that pension plans will be 
provided to employees while protecting our system's Social Security. 
Last year many small businesses were left out of the President's tax 
cut. Let us make sure that that never happens again, and provide for 
fair tax breaks to small businesses who may need the extra capital to 
survive.
  Many Americans dream of owning their own business, and we need to 
help that dream become a reality and stay a reality for years.

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