[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 110 (Wednesday, September 7, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1772-E1774]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      FRANCHISING APPRECIATION DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. RICHARD H. BAKER

                              of louisiana

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 7, 2005

  Mr. BAKER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to welcome over 300 franchisee, 
franchisor, and franchise supplier members of the International 
Franchise Association who are visiting Washington on September 13 as 
part of ``Franchise Appreciation Day,'' the IFA's annual fly-in to the 
Nation's Capital.
  As I am sure my colleagues are aware, the IFA is the world's oldest 
and largest trade association representing the franchise community with 
a membership roster that includes more than 1,000 franchisors, 8,000 
franchisees and 400 suppliers.
  Franchising is a driving force of our economy and generates $1.53 
trillion in economic output and one-of-every-seven jobs in the Nation's 
private-sector economy, according to a study conducted for the IFA 
Educational Foundation by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The ``Economic Impact 
of Franchised Businesses'' study found that there are more than 760,000 
franchised small businesses in the U.S., generating more than 18 
million jobs.
  Those statistics are impressive enough on their own, but of 
particular concern and interest to me is the initiative the 
International Franchise Association has taken to help our veterans move 
from their service in the armed forces into the world of franchise 
ownership. Through the Veterans Transition Franchise Initiative, 
commonly known as ``VetFran,'' 360 veterans have been assisted in 
purchasing their own franchise small business, and 120 more are in 
various stages of negotiation.
  VetFran was established by Don Dwyer, the late founder of The Dwyer 
Group and an IFA leader, during Operation Desert Storm. It was re-
initiated following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The 
program requires that participating franchisors offer veterans their 
``best deal'' through discounts or other incentives that are determined 
by each company,

[[Page E1773]]

and more than 150 franchise companies that are members of IFA 
participate.
  These businesses provide a great public service to our veterans and 
our communities, and I would like their names to be officially entered 
into the Congressional Record so that their good work may be officially 
recognized. I also would like the Record to include a list of the 
businesses started in 45 states.
  It is inspiring to me to see these companies step up, put their 
resources on the line and help our veterans. I think it is important to 
note that these are not Federal dollars--these are private-sector 
dollars, and I think this program is a model that should be followed 
and supported by others.
  I would also like to add that the good work of this program has been 
recognized by the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, which recently 
recognized IFA with a Support Sector Champion Award for expanding 
business opportunities for veterans; the U.S. Small Business 
Administration and the Veterans Corporation.
  Those who know me know that I am no stranger to helping veterans, and 
earlier this year, I introduced legislation that would ease the way for 
more U.S. veterans to buy a franchised business.
  The ``Veterans Self-Employment Act'' would establish a five-year 
pilot program that would allow American service members, veterans, 
national guardsmen, reservists, and qualified others to use some of 
their Veterans Administration educational assistance to defray training 
costs associated with obtaining a franchised small business.
  Acquiring a franchise is a great way for people to gain the skills 
they need to successfully open and operate a business, but it often 
requires ``basic training'' in business education--customer service, 
daily operations management, business computer systems, inventory 
control, costing and pricing, and meeting regulatory obligations--as 
well as specialized training for the goods, services, policies, and 
practices of the individual franchise system.
  The legislation I introduced is endorsed by the International 
Franchise Association, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill 
that would help to turn more proud veterans into proud business owners.
  When franchise leaders and small business men and women visit us on 
Franchise Appreciation Day, September 13, I have no doubt that my 
colleagues will join me in making them feel welcome and discuss public-
policy issues that will help franchising to continue to boost the 
nation's economy, and help our men and women who have fought so 
valiantly to protect our freedoms. IFA Member Franchisors Participating 
in the VetFran Program include:

       1-800-DryClean, 1-800-Got-Junk, 2 Scoops Cafe, @Wireless, 
     @WORK Franchise, @WORK HelpingHands Services, @WORK Medical 
     Services, @WORK Personnel Services, A-Pro Services, Action 
     International, AeroWest Services, AIM Mail Centers, Aire Serv 
     Heating & Air Conditioning, All American Specialty 
     Restaurants, All Tune & Lube, Allegra Print & Imaging, Alta 
     Mere Window Tinting and Auto Alarms, American Leak Detection, 
     American Poolplayers Association, American Wholesale 
     Thermographers, AmeriSpec Home Inspection Service, Bark 
     Busters, Baskin-Robbins, Batteries Plus, Bevinco's, Big L's-
     Friendly Computers, Big O Tires, Blimpie's Subs & Salads, 
     Brightscape Investment Centers, Camp Bow Wow, Candy Bouquet, 
     Cardsmart Retail Corporation, Cartridge World North America, 
     Carvel Corporation, Case Handyman Services, CGI 
     International, Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Children's 
     Orchard, CHIP The Child I.D. Program of America, The Cleaning 
     Authority, CM IT Solutions, The Coffee Beanery, College 
     Nannies & Tutors, ComForcare Senior Services, Comfort 
     Keepers, Computer Renaissance, ComputerTots/Computer 
     Explorers, Concerto Networks, Cookies by Design/Cookie 
     Bouquet, Copy Club, Cottman Transmissions Systems, Coverall 
     Cleaning Concepts, Creative Colors International, Crestcom 
     International, Cruise Holidays, Cruise One, D'Angelo Sandwich 
     Shops, DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen, Dunkin' Donuts, Edible 
     Arrangements, The Entrepreneur's Source, Expense Reduction 
     Analysts, Expense Reduction Consulting, Expetec Technology 
     Services, Express Personnel Services, ExxonMobil Corporation, 
     Fantastic Sam's, Fastframe USA, The Filta Group, Foodnet, 
     Foot Solutions, Furniture Medic, Geeks on Call, Glass 
     Doctor, Gold's Gym International, Gymboree Play & Music, 
     Handyman Matters Franchise Corp., Happy & Healthy 
     Products, Have Signs Will Travel, i9 Sports, Inspect-It 
     1st Franchising Corp., Island Ink-Jet Systems, Jet Black 
     International, Juice It Up Franchise Corp., KaBloom 
     Franchising Corp., Kitchen Tune-Up, Kwik Kopy Business 
     Centers, Labor Finders, Lawn Doctor, Learning Express 
     Toys, Leather Medic, Lentz USA Service Center, Liberty Tax 
     Service, Link Staffing Services, Maid Brigade, MaidPro, 
     Marble Slab Creamery, Marco's Pizza, Matco Tools, Maui 
     Wowi Smoothies, Meineke Car Care Centers, Merry Maids, 
     L.P., Milex, Tune-Up and Brakes, Molly Maid, Money Mailer, 
     Mr. Appliance, Mr. Electric, Mr. Handyman, Mr. Rooter 
     Plumbing, Mr. Transmission, Multistate Transmissions, 
     Navis Pack & Ship Centers, Netspace, Open Works, Outdoor 
     Lighting Perspectives, Parcel Plus, The Philly Franchising 
     Company, Planet Beach Franchising Corp., Positive Changes 
     Hypnosis, PostalAnnex+, Postal Connections of America, 
     PostNet, Precision Tune Auto Care, Puroclean, Rainbow 
     Int'l Restoration and Cleaning, Ritter's Frozen Custard, 
     Safe Kids Cards, Sarah Adult Day Services, The Screen 
     Machine, SealMaster, Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care, 
     ServiceMaster Clean, Siegel Capital, Snelling Personnel 
     Services, Sparkle Wash, Sport Clips, The Sports Section, 
     Spring-Green Lawn Care Corp., Sunbelt Business Brokers, 
     TeamLogic IT, Togo's Eatery, Travel Lines Express, 
     TruFoods, TurboHaul, Two Men And A Truck, The UPS Store, 
     Vanguard Cleaning Systems, Victory Lane Quick Oil Change, 
     Virginia Barbecue Franchise Co., Wild Bird Centers of 
     America, WineStyles, Wing Zone, Wireless Zone, World 
     Inspection Network, Zoup! Systems.
       Franchised Businesses Established Through the VetFran 
     Program include:
       Alabama: Birmingham: Meineke, Decatur: Vanguard Cleaning 
     Systems, Robertsdale: Merry Maids.
       Alaska: Anchorage: American Poolplayers, MBE/UPS Store.
       Arizona: Gilbert: DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen, Lake Havasu: 
     MBE/UPS Store, Maricopa: World Inspection Network, Mesa: 
     Expetec, Peoria: Coffee Beanery, Phoenix: Foot Solutions, 
     Molly Maid, World Inspection Network, Scottsdale: PostNet, 
     Show Low: Aire Serv Heating & Air Conditioning, Vail: KaBloom 
     Franchising Corp.
       Arkansas: Little Rock: Cleaning Authority, Rogers: PostNet, 
     Siloam Springs: PostNet, Springdale: PostNet.
       California: Anaheim: Navis Pack & Ship Centers, Angel Camp: 
     Mr. Rooter, Antelope: MBE/UPS Store, Auburn: PostalAnnex+, 
     Chula Vista: MBE/UPS Store, PostNet, Corte Madera: 1-800 Dry-
     Clean, Crona: PostNet, Encinitas: Mr. Handyman, Fair Oaks: 
     PostNet, Fallbrook: DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen, Granada Hills: 
     MBE/UPS Store, Hayward: PostNet, Hesperia: World Inspection 
     Network, Huntington Beach: MBE/UPS Store, Imperial: Rainbow 
     Int'l Restoration & Cleaning, La Habra: Cm IT Solutions, 
     Laguna Hills: MBE/UPS Store, Laguna Niguel: Mr. Handyman, 
     Lakeside: MBE/UPS Store, Los Angeles: 1-800-Got Junk, 
     Meineke, Morgan Hills: World Inspection Network, Mountain 
     View: Mr. Handyman, Newark: Cartridge World, Orange: 
     Express Personnel, Pacifica: Molly Maid, Pasadena: MBE/UPS 
     Store, San Diego: Concerto Network, PostalAnnex+, Santa 
     Ana: MBE/UPS Store, Suisun City: MBE/UPS Store, Upland: 
     World Inspection Network.
       Colorado: Colorado Springs: Meineke, PostalAnnex+, Ranbor 
     Int'l Restoration & Cleaning, Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care, 
     Denver: Meineke Car Care Centers, Fort Collins: Expetec, 
     Longmont: Mr. Electric, Loveland: MBE/UPS Store, Parker: 
     PostNet, Superior: MBE/UPS Store, Rainbow Int'l Restoration & 
     Cleaning.
       Connecticut: Orange: MBE/UPS Store, Southbury: FastFrame 
     USA.
       District of Columbia: Washington: Meineke Car Care Centers, 
     Safe Kids Card.
       Florida: Apollo Beach: MBE/UPS Store, Charlotte: Mr. 
     Appliance, Groveland: DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen, Inverness: 
     MBE/UPS Store, Jacksonville: Cleaning Authority, Mr. 
     Appliance, Melbourne: Creative Colors, Miami: MBE/UPS Store, 
     Naples: Coffee Beanery, Ocqla: Lentz USA Service Centers, 
     Orlando: Matco Tools, Meineke Car Care Centers, Vanguard 
     Cleaning Systems, Pompano Beach: MBE/UPS Store, Santa Rosa 
     Beach: MBE/UPS Store, St. Charlotte: Glass Doctor, St. 
     Petersburg: Express Personnel, Tampa: Geeks on Call, 
     Titusville: MBE/UPS Store.
       Georgia: Athens: Merry Maids, Atlanta: Comfort Keepers, 
     Geeks on Call, Gold's Gym, MBE/UPS Store, Meinke Car Care 
     Centers, Carrollton: MBE/UPS Store, Dacula: FastFrame USA, 
     Dallas: MBE/UPS Store, Douglasville: Mr. Appliance, Fairburn: 
     The Sports Section, Hiram: MBE/UPS Store, Savannah: MBE/UPS 
     Store, Woodstock: MBE/UPS Store.
       Hawaii: Lihue: MBE/UPS Store.
       Idaho: Boise: DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen, Mr. Appliance.
       Illinois: Cary: Sport Clips, Champaign/Urbana: Meineke Car 
     Care Centers, Chicago: Expetec; Meineke Car Care Centers, 
     Geneva: Navis Pack & Ship Centers, Homewood: Aire Serv 
     Heating & Air Conditioning, N. Aurora: Molly Maid, Ottawa: 
     MBE/UPS Store, Sycamore: Vanguard Cleaning Systems.
       Indiana: Evansville: MBE/UPS Store, Indianapolis: Outdoor 
     Lighting Perspectives, Ritter's Frozen Custard, Merillville: 
     BE/UPS Store.
       Iowa: Ankeny: MBE/UPS Store, Council Bluffs: MBE/UPS Store, 
     Pleasant Hill: World Inspection Network.
       Kansas: Kansas City: 1-800-Got Junk, Navis Pack & Ship 
     Centers, Olathe: MBE/UPS Store.
       Kentucky: Georgetown: MBE/UPS Store, Lexington: MBE/UPS 
     Store, Louisville: Sport Clips, Richmond: Comfort Keepers.
       Louisiana: Hammond: Mr. Appliance, Kenner: DreamMaker Bath 
     & Kitchen.
       Maryland: Baltimore: Meineke Car Care Centers, Edgewater: 
     MBE/UPS Store, Largo: Wireless Zone, Perry Hall: MBE/UPS 
     Store.
       Massachusetts: Boston: FastFrame USA, Gold's Gym, East 
     Falmouth: MBE/UPS Store, Falmouth: Mr. Rooter, Rowley: MBE/
     UPS Store.
       Michigan: Berkley: Coffee Beanery, Clinton Township: MBE/
     UPS Store, Mr. Handyman, Wayne: MBE/UPS Store.
       Minnesota: Minneapolis: Two Men And A Truck, Ramsey: 
     DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen.

[[Page E1774]]

       Mississippi: Gulfport: American Poolplayers, Ridgeland: 
     FastFrame USA.
       Missouri: Centralia: Mr. Appliance, Creve Coeur: MBE/UPS 
     Store, Eureka: MBE/UPS Store, Fenton: World Inspection 
     Network, Hattiesburg: Coffee Beanery, Independence: MBE/UPS 
     Store, Maplewood: Vanguard Cleaning Systems, Raytown: MBE/UPS 
     Store, St. Charles: MBE/UPS Store, St. Louis: Meineke Car 
     Care Centers.
       Montana: Billings: Meineke Car Care Centers.
       Nebraska: Omaha: World Inspection Network.
       Nevada: Carson City: FastFrame USA, Mr. Appliance, 
     Henderson: World Inspection Network, Las Vegas: MBE/UPS 
     Store, Reno: PostNet, Sparks: PostNet.
       New Hampshire: Manchester: Express Personnel.
       New Jersey: Barnegat: Expetec, Bergenfield: Molly Maid, 
     Bloomfield: Merry Maids, Flemington: Mr. Electric, Highland 
     Park: MBE/UPS Store, Maplewood: Concerto Network, Middlesex/
     Somerset: Meineke Car Care Centers, Oakridge: Coffee Beanery, 
     Toms River: Cleaning Authority, Trenton: Matco Tools, 
     Woolwich Twpk: PostalAnnex+.
       New Mexico: Roswell: MBE/UPS Store, Santa Fe: Glass Doctor.
       New York: Brooklyn: MBE/UPS Store, Great Neck: Molly Maid, 
     Macedon: Happy & Healthy Products, Seldon: MBE/UPS Store, 
     Staten Island: MBE/UPS Store, Syosset: MBE/UPS Store, 
     Williamsville: MBE/UPS Store.
       North Carolina: Charlotte: Geeks on Call, Fayetteville: 
     Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care, Greensboro: Molly Maid, Navis 
     Pack & Ship Centers, Raleigh: DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen, MBE/
     UPS Store, Meineke Car Care Centers, Rocky Mount: Mr. 
     Appliance, Williamston: PostNet, Wilmington: Candy Bouquet.
       North Dakota: Fargo/Moorehead: Meineke Car Care Centers.
       Ohio: Ashland: MBE/UPS Store, Canton: Maid Brigade, 
     Cincinnati: i9 Sports, Columbus: FastFrame USA, Dayton: 
     AmeriSpec Home Inspection Service, Franklin: MBE/UPS Store, 
     Strongsville: FastFrame USA, Waterford: Mr. Rooter, 
     Westerville: PostNet.
       Oklahoma: Tulsa MBE/UPS Store, Tutle: Mr. Handyman.
       Oregon: Eugene: PostNet, Woodbum: PostNet.
       Pennsylvania: Allentown: 1-800-Got Junk, Express Personnel, 
     Collegeville: Expetec, Hollidaysburg: Aire Serv Heating & Air 
     Conditioning, Lansdale: Sparkle Wash, Lebanon: Safe Kids 
     Card, Lower Burrell: Mr. Appliance, Palmyra: MBE/UPS Store, 
     Philadelphia: Geeks on Call, i9 Sports, Pittsburgh: Concerto 
     Network, MBE/UPS Store, Two Men and a Truck, Richboro: MBE/
     UPS Store, State College: Express Personnel, York: Candy 
     Bouquet.
       Rhode Island: Warwick: Expetec.
       South Carolina: Beaufort: MBE/UPS Store, Charleston: 
     Concerto Network, Greenville: Cleaning Authority, Moncks 
     Comer: DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen, Mount Pleasant: Safe Kids 
     Card, Ocean Isle: Mr. Appliance, Sumter: Comfort Keepers.
       Tennessee: Chattanooga: Sport Clips, Germantown: FastFrame 
     USA, Jackson: DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen, Nashville: Expetec, 
     Vanguard Cleaning Systems, World Inspection Network.
       Texas: Amarillo: Mr. Electric, Bailey: Safe Kids Card, 
     Baytown: Express Personnel, Beaumont: MBE/UPS Store, Boerne: 
     Candy Bouquet, College Station: DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen, 
     Mr. Electric, Cypress: MBE/UPS Store, Dallas: Meineke Car 
     Care Centers, Garland: MBE/UPS Store, Houston: KaBloom 
     Franchising, MBE/UPS Store, Ritter's Frozen Custard, Safe 
     Kids Card, Vanguard Cleaning Systems League City: MBE/UPS 
     Store, Mansfield: Safe Kids Card, Midland: MBE/UPS Store, New 
     Braunfels: Cartridge World, Round Rock: Mr. Electric, San 
     Antonio: MBE/UPS Store, Texarkana: MBE/UPS Store, The Colony: 
     Molly Maid, The Woodlands: PostNet, Victoria: Coffee Beanery, 
     Waco: Mr. Appliance.
       Utah: Herriman: MBE/UPS Store, Riverton: PostalAnnex+, Salt 
     Lake City: Navis Pack & Ship Centers, Saratoga Springs: 
     PostNet.
       Virginia: Bristow: PostNet, Chantilly: Expetec, 
     Charlottesville: Matco Tools, Sport Clips, Fredericksburg: 1-
     800-Got Junk, New Castle: Glass Doctor, Portsmouth: MBE/UPS 
     Store, Roanoke: Precision Tune Auto Care, Rockingham: County 
     Meineke Car Care Centers, Virginia Beach: 1-800-Got Junk, 
     PostNet, Wireless Zone.
       Washington: Burlington: MBE/UPS Store, Mills Creek: Comfort 
     Keepers, North Bend: DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen, Spokane: 
     Molly Maid, Spokane Valley: MBE/UPS Store, Walla Walla: 
     American Poolplayers Association.
       West Virginia: Huntington: Mr. Electric.
       Wisconsin: Green Bay: i9 Sports, Milwaukee: 1-800-Got Junk, 
     Muskego: Expetec, Stevens Point: MBE/UPS Store, Superior: 
     MBE/UPS Store.

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