[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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