[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 127 (Tuesday, September 16, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H8244-H8247]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ON ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 368) honoring the Small Business Administration 
on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 368

       Whereas the Nation's economy is built on and draws its 
     strength from the creativity and entrepreneurship of its 
     people;
       Whereas the Nation's 25 million small businesses employ 
     more than half of all private sector employees, pay 44.5 
     percent of the total United States private payroll, and 
     generate 60 to 80 percent of all net new jobs annually;
       Whereas the men and women who own and operate the Nation's 
     small businesses make a vital contribution to the Nation's 
     prosperity through their ongoing work to create new 
     technologies, products, and services;
       Whereas small businesses produce 13 to 14 times more 
     patents per employee than large patenting firms, and these 
     patents are twice as likely as large firm patents to be among 
     the 1 percent most cited;
       Whereas the Small Business Administration was officially 
     established in 1953 and for the past 50 years has played a 
     vital role in ensuring that the door to the American Dream is 
     truly open to all entrepreneurs;
       Whereas the mission and high calling of the Small Business 
     Administration is to champion the interests of the Nation's 
     entrepreneurs for the benefit of all Americans;
       Whereas the Small Business Administration is marking its 
     50th anniversary by celebrating the accomplishments of small-
     business owners across the country throughout the year; and
       Whereas the President has designated the week beginning on 
     Monday, September 15, 2003, as ``National Small Business 
     Week'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Small 
     Business Week, and the events surrounding the 50th 
     anniversary of the founding of the Small Business 
     Administration;
       (2) commends the Administrator and the employees of the 
     Small Business Administration for their work on behalf of the 
     Nation's small businesses; and
       (3) reaffirms that the Small Business Administration, 
     through its loan, technical assistance, and entrepreneurial 
     development programs, plays an important role in assisting 
     small businesses to ensure a brighter, stronger future for 
     this Nation.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Manzullo) and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. 
Velazquez) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo).


                             General Leave

  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and to include extraneous material on the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.


      Permission of Member to be Original Cosponsor of H. Res. 368

  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the 
gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez), the ranking minority member 
of the committee, be added as a an original cosponsor of H. Res. 368.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.

                              {time}  1600

  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as has been the tradition for the past 40 years, the 
President of the United States has issued a proclamation calling for 
the celebration of Small Business Week, which I include for the Record 
today. We are now in the middle of Small Business Week for 2003, which 
is being sponsored by the Small Business Administration.
  The purpose of this week's celebration is to honor over 25 million 
businesses that make up the U.S. small business community. It is very 
appropriate for us, today, to recognize the importance of America's 
small businesses and the significant role played by the Small Business 
Administration in our Nation's economic growth.
  This year is particularly important in recognizing the 50th 
anniversary of the SBA. President Eisenhower and Congress established 
the SBA in 1953 to provide financial and management assistance to 
startup and growing small businesses.

[[Page H8245]]

  Over the past 50 years, the SBA has helped countless numbers of small 
businesses survive and succeed in this economy. It maintains a 
portfolio of guaranteed small business loans and disaster loans 
totaling more than $45 billion. The 7(a) program alone accounts for 
approximately 40 to 50 percent of all long-term capital needs for small 
businesses. The SBA has also guaranteed another $13 billion in venture 
capital investments to small businesses. To complement its successful 
credit programs, the SBA's management assistance programs were 
delivered to more than 1 million small businesses during the past year.
  Some of the great American companies that are now household names 
were initially started with assistance from the SBA. Allen-Edmonds 
Shoe, the Panda Restaurant Group, Winnebago Industries with help from 
the 7(a) program, Callaway Golf, FedEx, Hewlett Packard, Intel 
Corporation, Jenny Craig, Outback Steakhouse, Staples, Sun Microsystems 
and the Gymboree Corporation all started with infusions of capital from 
the Small Business Investment Company program.
  U.S. small businesses are the driving forces behind our economy and 
are poised to lead this Nation out of its economic doldrums. More than 
99 percent of all employers in the U.S. are small businesses, providing 
between 60 and 80 percent of the net new jobs added to our workforce. 
In fact, the National Federal of Independent Businesses said that in 
August hiring intentions among small businesses are at the highest 
level in a year.
  Small businesses have proven, year in and year out, that they are a 
potent force in the economy, accounting for over 50 percent of the 
private sector output. And their sights are not just set at home. 
Leading the way towards a global economy, the small business community 
represents 96 percent of all U.S. exporters.
  Over the past 3 years, I have been the chairman of the Committee on 
Small Business and the previous 6 years as the subcommittee chairman. I 
have witnessed the enormous potential of America's small businesses at 
work. As someone who grew up in a small, family-owned business and who 
ran his own law firm, I know that small businesses are flexible, 
creative, give us jobs, provide economic growth, and, most importantly, 
provide hope in a future for millions of families and communities 
across our Nation.
  The resolution now before the House recognizes the critical role 
played by small businesses and the Small Business Administration in our 
economy. It is appropriate that we take a moment from our busy schedule 
to acknowledge the success of small businesses and to encourage our 
Federal Government to continue to provide it help to ensure future 
successes.
  I urge each of my colleagues to vote for H. Res. 368 as a way to say 
thank you to the SBA and the small business community for its 
contributions to our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record the White House proclamation.

  Small Business Week, 2003--by the President of the United States of 
                        America--a Proclamation

       The success of small businesses in America reflects the 
     innovation, determination, and hard work of the American 
     people. During Small Business Week, we celebrate the 
     entrepreneurs and business people who create goods, services, 
     and jobs, and bring opportunity and economic prosperity to 
     communities throughout our country. We also reaffirm our 
     commitment to helping more small business owners and their 
     employees realize the American Dream.
       Small businesses create the majority of new jobs in our 
     Nation and account for more than half of the output of our 
     economy. They lead the way in generating new ideas and 
     creating new technologies, goods, and services for our 
     country and for the world.
       Small businesses also reflect the diversity of America. 
     Nearly 40 percent of small companies in the United States are 
     owned by women. There are also more than 3 million minority-
     owned small businesses across the country.
       Because small businesses are vital to our Nation's 
     prosperity and reflect the hard work of the American people, 
     my Administration has taken important steps to assist small 
     businesses and the people they employ. We have reduced taxes, 
     encouraged investment, and removed obstacles to growth. The 
     Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 I 
     signed into law will provide 23 million small business owners 
     with tax cuts averaging more than $2,200 each. The Act also 
     quadrupled the amount that small businesses can expense for 
     new capital investments, encouraging new investment in 
     technology, machinery, and other equipment. This new 
     technology and equipment will increase productivity and 
     create new jobs, thereby contributing to the overall strength 
     of our economy.
       We are also seeking to permanently eliminate the death tax. 
     With the repeal of this tax, small business men and women 
     will be able to pass their life's work to the next generation 
     without having to pay a punitive tax that in many cases 
     forces the sale of the business or many of its assets. And I 
     support legislation that would make it easier for small 
     businesses to offer health coverage options to their 
     employees. Through Association Health Plans, small businesses 
     could pool together to offer group plans to all of their 
     employees, like those available to large businesses. In 
     addition, we are working to streamline small business 
     regulations and paperwork. To this end, I issued an Executive 
     Order that requires all Federal regulatory agencies to 
     minimize these burdens on our Nation's small businesses.
       The Small Business Administration (SBA), which helps 
     American innovators and risk-takers launch and build their 
     businesses, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. By 
     helping small businesses succeed, the SBA continues to 
     strengthen America.
       Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, President of the United 
     States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by 
     the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby 
     proclaim September 14 through September 20, 2003, as Small 
     Business Week. I call upon all the people of the United 
     States to observe this week with appropriate ceremonies, 
     activities, and programs that celebrate the achievements of 
     small business owners and their employees and encourage and 
     foster the development of new small businesses.
       In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 
     twelfth day of September, in the year of our Lord two 
     thousand three, and of the Independence of the United States 
     of America the two hundred and twenty-eighth.
                                                   George W. Bush.

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 368, which recognizes 
the contributions that America's entrepreneurs make across the Nation 
and within our communities.
  Often, people believe that GM, Lockheed Martin and IBM power our 
economy; but the reality is that small businesses are the driving 
force. Our country's 23 million small businesses create three out of 
every four new jobs, represent 99 percent of all employers and provide 
70 percent of workers with their important first paycheck. It is 
because of this we, on the committee, say that small business is big 
business in America.
  Success in small business ownership is one of the unique 
opportunities of our economy. Yes, in other countries their citizens 
can own their own businesses, but nowhere to the extent found in 
America. Americans grow up with the entrepreneurial spirit around us. 
The reality of owning your own business is not a far-off dream, but an 
achievable goal. We all know small business success stories, whether 
they are friends, grandparents, parents, or our sisters and brothers. 
The opportunity to start a small business is what draws many to our 
country. No place else in the world can someone with hard work turn an 
idea into a thriving business.
  As these opportunities become more available, the face of small 
business is changing. Today, minorities are becoming business owners on 
a scale never seen before. Between 1997 and 2002, the number of Latino-
owned firms increased by almost 40 percent and African American-owned 
businesses increased by 25 percent.
  Small business ownership has also become a new avenue for empowering 
women. Whether because of family concerns or because the corporate 
glass ceiling still exists, women are striking out and starting their 
own companies at twice the rate of all businesses. This is simply 
phenomenal.
  Make no mistake, it is not easy being a small business owner today. 
Small businesses are confronting health care premiums rising 14 percent 
this year alone, Federal regulatory compliance costs are increasing for 
small businesses, and the Federal Government continues blocking them 
from benefiting from the $235 billion Federal procurement market. While 
it is never easy, small business owners are in desperate need of health 
care reform, a national energy plan to reduce skyrocketing costs, 
access to capital, targeted tax relief, and access to government 
procurement.

[[Page H8246]]

  Small businesses are a proven tool to guide the Nation out of 
economic downturns. Small businesses have done it before, and small 
businesses can do it again. However, their success can only be achieved 
if we provide them with the help they require.
  So, today, as we recognize the hard work and commitment of America's 
entrepreneurs, it is also important that we recommit ourselves to 
working to create an economic environment that encourages growth for 
them. We must strive to make the job of our Nation's small businesses 
all the much easier. It is at least what we can do, given all they have 
done for us.
  Today, with the adoption of this resolution, in a very small way we 
thank our Nation's entrepreneurs for the contributions they make every 
day. They are the catalyst for economic growth, and they are the 
anchors of our communities.
  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Committee on 
Small Business, I want to commend the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman 
Manzullo) and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez) for their 
leadership on small business matters.
  Mr. Speaker, for the past 40 years, the President has issued a 
proclamation calling for the celebration of Small Business Week. I rise 
in support of the Small Business Administration's designating the week 
of September 14 through 20, 2003, as National Small Business Week. This 
celebration will honor the estimated 25 million small businesses in 
America who have created three out of every four new jobs and generate 
more than 55 percent of America's innovations.
  Small Business Week recognizes outstanding small business owners for 
their personal achievements and contributions to our Nation's economy. 
One outstanding entrepreneur is named to represent each State as the 
State's Small Business Person of the Year. From this group, the 
National Small Business Person of the Year is chosen.
  Small businesses employ half of our workers and account for half of 
our gross domestic product. Small businesses have and will continue to 
pull the U.S. economy out of recession. They anchor our neighborhoods, 
employ and train our workers, and take care of our families. They are 
the reason that the United States economy has consistently been known 
as the strongest in the world.
  Today, we honor our small businesses and entrepreneurs for their 
efforts and what they mean to America.
  Again, Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman 
Manzullo) and the ranking member, the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. 
Velazquez), for their leadership and urge passage of this resolution.
  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Hinojosa).
  Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise as an original cosponsor in strong 
support of H. Res. 368, introduced by the Committee on Small Business 
chairman, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo).
  This legislation honors the Small Business Administration on the 
occasion of its 50th anniversary and designates this week as National 
Small Business Week.
  In 1953, the SBA was created to champion the interests of the 
Nation's entrepreneurs for the benefit of all Americans. Our Nation's 
economy is built on and draws its strength from the creativity and 
entrepreneurship of its people.
  Over 25 million small businesses employ more than half of all private 
sector employees. They pay 44.5 percent of the total United States 
private payroll. They generate 60 to 80 percent of all new jobs 
annually. Small businesses are, in fact, the engine of this Nation's 
economy, as was said earlier by the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. 
Velazquez).
  I worked with my father in south Texas to build a small business in 
my district that today employs over 300 people. The SBA played a key 
role in this company's development by assisting my family in growing 
this business during the last 54 years. Presently, Ms. Sylvia Zamponi, 
the district director for the SBA in the Lower Rio Grande Valley 
District, is providing similar assistance to my constituents. I want to 
commend her for all her efforts on behalf of the small business owners 
in my congressional district.
  I also want to express my appreciation for all of the efforts of the 
gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Manzullo) to support small businesses 
and to improve their situation, particularly the manufacturing sector 
in the United States that currently is in a crisis with the dramatic 
loss of manufacturing jobs.
  To help address this crisis, the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman 
Manzullo) organized the Congressional Manufacturing Caucus, which I 
have joined, to preserve manufacturing jobs in America. The caucus will 
not only educate Washington on the importance of manufacturing in 
America, but it will work to enact policies to stem job losses and to 
put people back to work, including in south Texas and throughout the 
country.
  I also commend the ranking member, the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. 
Velazquez), for taking appropriate actions to ensure that SBA continues 
to perform effectively the mission Congress gave it over 50 years ago.
  Mr. Speaker, again, I congratulate the SBA on its 50th anniversary 
and hope that the current administration will continue to fully fund 
SBA so it may continue to assist entrepreneurs throughout this country.
  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Guam (Mr. Bordallo).
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member, the 
gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez), for yielding me time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor America's small business community 
during national Small Business Week and recognize those small 
businesses on Guam that are the backbone of our island economy.
  I would also like to take this time to thank Mr. Kenneth Lujan, the 
director of Small Business Administration District Office in Hagatna, 
Guam, for his continued hard work to provide important services to 
assist small businesses on Guam to grow and thrive. I want to wish Mr. 
Lujan and the entire SBA office on Guam a happy 50th birthday.
  Mr. Speaker, 90 percent of businesses on Guam are small operations. I 
guess you could call Guam the SBA community of the United States. I am 
grateful for the continued hard work and the innovation of our island's 
entrepreneurs, which help grow and enhance the economy on Guam, as well 
as provide jobs.

                              {time}  1615

  In particular, I want to congratulate Mr. John Shen for being 
selected as the Small Businessman of the Year on Guam. Mr. Shen is the 
owner of Shen's Corporation, which operates Prestige Automobiles on 
Guam. Mr. Shen was born in Taiwan, but immigrated to Guam in 1979. Mr. 
Shen and his wife started several small business operations before the 
opportunity presented itself for Mr. Shen to acquire the local BMW 
dealership on Guam in 1991. He worked diligently to pull the company 
out of financial distress and has turned Prestige Automobiles into a 
strong and profitable small enterprise. In a time when Guam is 
experiencing the effects of 20 percent unemployment, Mr. Shen serves as 
an example of how hard work, innovation, and commitment to small 
enterprise can overcome serious obstacles.
  As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the SBA, let us not forget 
our responsibilities as legislators to create an environment where 
people like Mr. Shen can, with hard work, realize his dreams. Let us 
reaffirm our commitment in assisting our Nation's entrepreneurs so that 
they may too live the great American Dream.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise 
and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thought there could not be a 
better matching of two legislative initiatives that we have had the 
opportunity to speak on today, and that is

[[Page H8247]]

the 40th anniversary of the March on Washington and the honoring and 
recognition of the anniversary, the 50th anniversary of the Small 
Business Administration, and particularly recognizing Small Business 
Week.
  I first want to acknowledge the work of the Committee on Small 
Business of this House and to thank the gentleman from Illinois 
(Chairman Manzullo) and the ranking member, the gentlewoman from New 
York (Ms. Velazquez) for the cooperative, singular spirit that they 
have on the issue of improving and promoting small businesses in the 
United States of America. Clearly, I believe, their very cooperative 
work has been an example of the very fine committee work that all of us 
admire, and that is, the purpose is to ensure that our small businesses 
are successful and they work very effectively, both the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Manzullo) and his emphasis on buying American and, as 
well, the insight he has given to the idea of the loss of manufacturing 
jobs and the need to restore them. And the gentlewoman from New York 
(Ms. Velazquez) has been enormously effective in ensuring that all 
government agencies and all contracts between the United States and the 
private sector have as a component small businesses, women-owned 
businesses, and minority-owned businesses. I collectively thank both of 
them for their effort and this tribute and this anniversary should be a 
reflection on their good works.
  I do want to also acknowledge the good works of our Small Business 
Administration regional centers all over the Nation by tribute to all 
of them who take a special opportunity to work with and to help our 
small businesses. Likewise, I would say that it is very important to 
note the regional director, Milton Wilson, who heads the office in 
Houston, Texas.
  The reason why I believe that the tribute to the Small Business 
Administration's 50th year anniversary and the March on Washington have 
a lot in common is because there is work undone. I pay tribute to those 
who were brave enough to go to Washington in 1963 to lead not just the 
250,000 plus, but to lead the Nation for a more equal and just 
community. A. Philip Randolph, Roy Wilkins, Whitney Young, James 
Farmer, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), and Martin Luther King 
understood that unless we lifted all boats, no boats would be lifted. 
They promoted equality and justice among all, irrespective of religion 
and race.
  The Small Business Administration promotes small business, 
recognizing that they are in fact the backbone of America, including 
small businesses, minority-owned businesses, and women-owned 
businesses. I believe that we have a lot of work undone, Mr. Speaker. 
We need to provide more tax incentives for small businesses, and 
certainly we must consider the fact that they need to have more 
training and opportunity to work with the government.
  Finally, I would say there is no doubt that as it relates to the 
cause of civil rights, there is much work to be done; and I hope this 
Congress will rise to the occasion and ensure that there are equal 
rights for all. My congratulations to the Small Business Administration 
and to the brave souls who marched on Washington in 1963.
  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to thank the author of 
this resolution and also staffer Patrick Wilson for taking the lead on 
today's resolution.
  Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, for the past 40 
years the President has issued a proclamation calling for the 
celebration of Small Business Week. This year National Small Business 
Week runs from September 15th through the 20th. Since the founding of 
our country, small businesses have contributed immeasurably to our 
progress and economic strength.
  Let us celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit in America during 
National Small Business Week. The approximately 23 million small 
businesses in the United States employ more than half of the country's 
private work force, create three of every four new jobs, and generate 
most of America's innovations. Small businesses are the backbone of 
this country and they are an enduring symbol of the American Dream.
  For example, five years ago a young couple in my district had a dream 
to open a grocery store in the City of Whittier, California. Their 
vision for the store was to specialize in fresh, ready to prepare 
Hispanic foods in the historic district of Whittier. Country Fresh 
Market has found a niche in the grocery retail market that has posted 
double-digit gains from last year. Subsequently, on March 27th Country 
Fresh Market was featured on the Food Network in a nationally broadcast 
segment of ``Food Finds,'' hosted by Sandra Pinkney.
  Country Fresh Market is a business success story, and they make many 
contributions to their local community, including the local Boys and 
Girls Club and YMCA's Annual Pancake Breakfast. Since its inception, 
Country Fresh Market has also had four employees graduate from college 
and helped many of its employees purchase homes. Country Fresh Market 
prides itself in its employees' success, because its employees are its 
``familia'' (family).
  Country Fresh Market is a true business success in my district. As a 
member of the small business community, I'm working to increase the 
SBA's microloan program from $35,000 to $50,000. By helping small 
businesses gain access to capital, I hope to bolster the number of 
small businesses that succeed each year.
  Today, let us honor small businesses, like Country Fresh Market. By 
celebrating America's small businesses, we are keeping the American 
Dream alive and well for today, and for future generations.
  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, this week is National Small 
Business Week, and the Small Business Administration is celebrating its 
50th Anniversary. I would like to congratulate the Small Business 
Administration, its employees and all of its resource partners on this 
truly momentous occasion.
  Created by the passage of the Small Business Act in 1953 during the 
Eisenhower administration, the SBA was charged to ``aid, counsel, 
assist and protect'' the interest of small businesses in this nation.
  Mr. Speaker, the SBA has made tremendous strides following its 
original mandate over the past half century. According to the agency, 
nearly 20 million small firms have received either direct or indirect 
assistance over the past fifty years.
  Small businesses are the engine that drives our nation's economy, 
generating over half of the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and 
the SBA plays a key part in ensuring the engine remains strong and 
viable, especially in tough economic times.
  There are currently about 23 million small businesses in the United 
States, which represents 99.7 percent of all private sector employers. 
Small businesses also generate 60 to 80 percent of net new jobs 
annually.
  American small businesses are extremely diverse. Women owned small 
businesses generated $819 billion in revenues, and employed more than 7 
million workers in 1997, the last year such data is available. In that 
same year, 5.8 percent of small businesses were owned by Hispanic 
Americans, 4.4 percent by Asian Americans, and 4 percent by African 
Americans.
  Small businesses also made up 97 percent of all identified exporters 
and produced 29 percent of the known export value in fiscal year 2001.

  As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Tax, Finance and 
Exports, I am especially proud of the agency and its tireless efforts 
to help all small businesses.
  Two weeks ago, I held a field hearing in my District, Long Beach, 
California, where a very distinguished group of panelists discussed the 
importance of small businesses to not only southern California but to 
the nation as well.
  I was pleased to learn during the course of that hearing that the SBA 
Los Angeles District Office is the number one business lending office 
in the United States. Over the past three years, the office has 
provided $128 million in financing to 381 businesses in my home 
District.
  I am sure that there are many more success stories nationwide about 
the hard work the SBA does on behalf of our nation's entrepreneurs, and 
I am sure that the SBA will be helping small businesses in their 
efforts to keep our economy strong for years to come.
  Congratulations on 50 years of service to our small businesses.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Simpson). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 368.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.




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