[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 26 (Thursday, February 16, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H819]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             SMALL BUSINESS

  (Mrs. DAVIS of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, small businesses, from used 
furniture stores to restaurants to barbershops, drive our economy, but 
they've had to take a haircut recently since they've been more subject 
to the ups and downs of the economy than, perhaps, anyone else.
  Just last week, I visited small businesses in the San Diego 
communities of Lemon Grove and Spring Valley, and the people told me 
they need more customers walking in the doors with money to spend. 
Well, increasing consumer demand is a key part of our recovery, but it 
won't come right away. Yet we can use a more immediate tool to help 
these businesses grow in the meantime.
  In the State of the Union address, the President mentioned 17 tax 
cuts for small businesses in order to put money in their pockets soon. 
Tax credits for hiring unemployed Americans and for health care costs 
will incentivize hiring and ensure that the Affordable Care Act is 
affordable for businesses to implement. An exemption from capital gains 
taxes for small business investments will spur small business spending 
and hiring. Also, the American Jobs Act has a provision which would 
reduce employers' contributions to the payroll tax for their employees.
  I support measures like these to encourage the growth of small 
businesses in order to reignite the American Dream.

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