[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 58 (Thursday, April 22, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E626]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     SMALL BUSINESS BILL OF RIGHTS

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                         HON. MARK STEVEN KIRK

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 22, 2010

  Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Small Business 
Bill of Rights. For the last three years, Congress has hurt small 
businesses with legislation to increase taxes and government 
regulation. It is time to show small businesses that we support them by 
backing one bill that has it all, the Small Business Bill of Rights.
  Endorsed by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), 
this legislation would:
  Protect secret ballots in union elections
  Lower health costs with lawsuit reforms and interstate competition
  Lower energy costs with credits for efficient equipment and hybrids
  Permit children to continue business with low/no death tax
  Exempt small businesses from capital gains tax for 10 years
  Make immigration laws easy to comply with
  Create a Patent Office fast lane for small business innovation
  Limit federal paperwork through the SBA for small businesses to 200 
hours annually
  Prevent AMT from taxing the middle class
  Reduce deficit to encourage jobs and improve credit
  Small businesses cannot afford lobbyists or lawyers to grease the 
wheels to get government assistance. With more than 1.1 million small 
businesses in Illinois accounting for 98.4 percent of all employers, 
now is the time to act.
  In the teeth of the Great Recession, Congress must work to protect 
the heart and soul of our economy by lowering taxes and decreasing the 
regulatory burden so that small business employers will begin hiring, 
putting Americans back to work.
  Small businesses are disproportionately suffering, accounting for 
nearly 80 percent of job losses and I urge my colleagues to become a 
cosponsor of this commonsense legislation.
  Let us grow this economy and put people back to work.

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