[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 107 (Friday, July 18, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1514]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      SMALL BUSINESS TELEWORK ACT

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                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 17, 2003

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, today I am joined by my 
colleagues, Representatives Frost, Abercrombie, Issa, Rush, Ross, Wynn, 
Blumenauer, Millender-McDonald, Filner, Udall (NM), and Jo Ann Davis 
(VA), in introducing the Small Business Telework Act to assist our 
nation's small businesses in establishing successful telework programs 
for their employees
  Across America, numerous employers are responding to the needs of 
their employees and establishing telework programs. In 2000, there were 
an estimated 16.5 million teleworkers. By the end of 2004, there will 
be an estimated 30 million teleworkers, representing an increase of 
almost 100 percent. Unfortunately, the majority of growth in new 
teleworkers comes from organizations employing over 1,500 people, while 
just a few years ago, most teleworkers worked for small to medium-sized 
organizations.
  By not taking advantage of modern technology and establishing 
successful telework programs, small businesses are losing out on a host 
of benefits that will save them money, and make them more competitive. 
The reported productivity improvement of home-based teleworkers 
averages 15 percent translating to an average bottom-line impact of 
$9,712 per teleworker. Additionally, most experienced teleworkers are 
determined to continue teleworking, meaning a successful telework 
program can be an important tool in the recruitment and retention of 
qualified and skilled employees. By establishing successful telework 
programs, small business owners would be able to retain these valuable 
employees by allowing them to work from a remote location, such as 
their home or a telework center.
  In addition to the cost savings realized by businesses that employ 
teleworkers, there are a number of related benefits to society and the 
employee. For example, telecommuters help reduce traffic and cut down 
on air pollution by staying off the roads during rush hour. Fully 80 
percent of home-only teleworkers commute to work on days they are not 
teleworking. Their one-way commute distance averages 19.7 miles, versus 
13.3 miles for non-teleworkers, meaning employees that take advantage 
of telework programs are, more often than not, those with the longest 
commutes. Teleworking also gives employees more time to spend with 
their families and reduces stress levels by eliminating the pressure of 
a long commute.
  Mr. Speaker, our legislation seeks to extend the benefits of 
successful telework programs to more of our nation's small businesses. 
Specifically, it establishes a pilot program in the Small Business 
Administration (SBA) to raise awareness about telework among small 
business employers and to encourage those small businesses to establish 
telework programs for their employees.
  Additionally, an important provision in our bill directs the SBA 
Administrator to undertake special efforts for businesses owned by, or 
employing, persons with disabilities and disabled America veterans. At 
the end of the day, telework can provide more than just environmental 
benefits and improved quality of life. It can open the door to people 
who have been precluded from working in a traditional office setting 
due to physical disabilities.
  Our legislation is also limited in cost and scope. It establishes the 
pilot program in a maximum of five SBA regions and caps the total cost 
to five million dollars over two years. It also restricts the SBA to 
activities specifically proscribed in the legislation: developing 
educational materials; conducting outreach to small business; and 
acquiring equipment for demonstration purposes. Finally, it requires 
the SBA to prepare and submit a report to Congress evaluating the pilot 
program.
  Several hurdles to establishing successful telework programs could be 
cleared by enacting our legislation. In fact, the number one reported 
obstacle to implementing a telework program is a lack of know-how. Our 
bill will go a long way towards educating small business owners on how 
they can draft guidelines to make a telework program an affordable, 
manageable reality.

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