[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 24, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3287-S3288]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS WEEK

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 197 submitted earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 197) honoring the entrepreneurial 
     spirit of small business concerns in the United States during 
     National Small Business Week, which begins on May 15, 2011.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. COBURN. Mr. President, I do not believe small businesses need 
government assistance to exist. In fact, I believe the best thing our 
government can do is to shrink the size and cost of the Federal 
Government. With less government, minimal Federal regulation, and lower 
taxes, businesses--regardless of size, industry, and location--will 
innovate in meeting American consumer demands and achieve phenomenal 
growth.
  Instead of encouraging dependence on the Federal Government, I 
believe politicians should seek to find ways to free businesses to 
thrive independently. Additionally, with a national debt of almost 
$14.3 trillion, Congress should start considering ways to enable 
sustainable economic growth instead of authorizing or increasing more 
Federal subsidy programs that more often than not have limited or 
questionable benefits.
  As a former small and large business owner, I know the struggles 
small businesses face because of unnecessary government regulations and 
taxes. In fact, the Federal Government's interference in my ability to 
practice medicine prompted me to first seek office. Small businesses 
are invaluable to the economic health of our great country and embody 
the American dream.
  While I join the Senate and the President in recognizing the 
contributions of small businesses all over the country, I would like to 
join Senator Paul in opposing a resolution passed by the Senate today 
that lauds big government and the use of taxpayer dollars to subsidize 
certain small businesses.
  Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, I was a small businessman before I was 
elected to the Senate. I know well the struggles small businesses face 
because of government regulations and taxes. I also know that small 
businesses are a key driver of economic growth and employment. That is 
why I join the Senate and the President in recognizing the 
contributions of small businesses all over the country during National 
Small Business Week.
  Unfortunately, this resolution goes a step beyond recognizing the 
hard- working entrepreneurs who are our small businessmen and 
businesswomen. The resolution also praises big government and using 
taxpayer dollars to subsidize small businesses. I do not believe small 
businesses need government assistance to exist. I do not believe we 
need an entire agency of the Federal Government to encourage 
entrepreneurs. Quite the opposite--I believe that with less government, 
businesses of all sizes will be created, existing businesses will grow, 
and the American spirit will thrive. That is why I voted against this 
resolution.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, it is my understanding we are ready to act 
on this resolution.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate?
  If not, the question is on agreeing to the resolution.
  The resolution (S. Res. 197) was agreed to.
  Mr. DURBIN. I now ask that we act on the preamble.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate?
  If not, the question is on agreeing to the preamble.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 197

       Whereas the approximately 27,200,000 small business 
     concerns in the United States are the driving force behind 
     the Nation's economy, creating 2 out of every 3 new jobs and 
     generating more than 50 percent of the Nation's non-farm 
     gross domestic product;
       Whereas small businesses are the driving force behind the 
     economic recovery of the United States;
       Whereas small businesses represent 99.7 percent of employer 
     firms in the United States;
       Whereas small business concerns are the Nation's 
     innovators, serving to advance technology and productivity;
       Whereas small business concerns represent 97.6 percent of 
     all exporters and produce 32.8 percent of exported goods;
       Whereas Congress established the Small Business 
     Administration in 1953 to aid, counsel, assist, and protect 
     the interests of small business concerns in order to preserve 
     free and competitive enterprise, to ensure that a fair 
     proportion of the total Federal Government purchases, 
     contracts, and subcontracts for property and services are 
     placed with small business concerns, to ensure that a fair 
     proportion of the total sales of government property are made 
     to such small business concerns, and to maintain and 
     strengthen the overall economy of the United States;
       Whereas every year since 1963, the President has designated 
     a ``National Small Business Week'' to recognize the 
     contributions of small businesses to the economic well-being 
     of the United States;
       Whereas in 2011, National Small Business Week will honor 
     the estimated 27,200,000 small businesses in the United 
     States;
       Whereas the Small Business Administration has helped small 
     business concerns by providing access to critical lending 
     opportunities, protecting small business concerns from 
     excessive Federal regulatory enforcement, helping to ensure 
     full and open competition for government contracts, and 
     improving the economic environment in which small business 
     concerns compete;
       Whereas for more than 50 years, the Small Business 
     Administration has helped millions of entrepreneurs achieve 
     the American dream of owning a small business concern, and 
     has played a key role in fostering economic growth; and
       Whereas the President has designated the week beginning May 
     15, 2011, as ``National Small Business Week'': Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) honors the entrepreneurial spirit of small business 
     concerns in the United States during National Small Business 
     Week, which begins on May 15, 2011;
       (2) applauds the efforts and achievements of the owners and 
     employees of small business concerns, whose hard work and 
     commitment to excellence have made such small business 
     concerns a key part of the economic vitality of the United 
     States;

[[Page S3288]]

       (3) recognizes the work of the Small Business 
     Administration and its resource partners in providing 
     assistance to entrepreneurs and small business concerns; and
       (4) recognizes the importance of ensuring that--
       (A) guaranteed loans, including microloans and microloan 
     technical assistance, for start-up and growing small business 
     concerns, and venture capital, are made available to all 
     qualified small business concerns;
       (B) the management assistance programs delivered by 
     resource partners on behalf of the Small Business 
     Administration, such as Small Business Development Centers, 
     Women's Business Centers, and the Service Corps of Retired 
     Executives, are provided with the Federal resources necessary 
     to provide invaluable counseling services to entrepreneurs in 
     the United States;
       (C) the Small Business Administration continues to provide 
     timely and efficient disaster assistance so that small 
     businesses in areas struck by natural or manmade disasters 
     can quickly return to business to keep local economies alive 
     in the aftermath of such disasters;
       (D) affordable broadband Internet access is available to 
     all people in the United States, particularly people in rural 
     and underserved communities, so that small businesses can use 
     the Internet to make their operations more globally 
     competitive while boosting local economies;
       (E) regulatory relief is provided to small businesses 
     through the reduction of duplicative or unnecessary 
     regulatory requirements that increase costs for small 
     businesses; and
       (F) leveling the playing field for contracting 
     opportunities remains a primary focus, so that small 
     businesses, particularly minority-owned small businesses, can 
     compete for and win more of the $400,000,000,000 in contracts 
     that the Federal Government enters into each year for goods 
     and services.

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