[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 76 (Wednesday, May 8, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S2730]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                      National Small Business Week

  Mr. DAINES. Madam President, it is National Small Business Week, and 
in Montana, small businesses are a critical part of our life. In fact, 
I grew up watching my parents build a small business. They are made up 
of hard-working families who lift up their companies and neighborhoods, 
and it is what keeps our economy growing and keeps our economy strong.
  In fact, when I am back home in Montana and back in my hometown of 
Bozeman, you might find me in the morning grabbing a cup of coffee from 
Cold Smoke with my sweet wife Cindy, or I might be heading over to 
Butte. I might be picking up a new mount from my taxidermist, Marc, who 
does a great job there in Butte. Or maybe it is time for dinner and 
grabbing a bite to eat at the Mint in Belgrade. Of course, if you are 
over in Billings, you have to stop and get a cinnamon roll at Stella's. 
If you are heading through Helena, get a great lunch there at Steve's 
Cafe. Or if you are up in the northwest part of the State, you might 
grab a beer at the Cabinet Mountain Brewery. Or there is nothing like 
breakfast at Syke's in Kalispell.
  In fact, one of the old-time favorites in Missoula is the Thunderbird 
Motel. They have a great owner there, Thelma, who has been a friend for 
years. I still remember how excited the men and women who were 
stationed in Afghanistan and from our very own 495th from Kalispell 
were when we brought over--hand-carried over to Afghanistan--back in 
December, some Hi-Country beef jerky from Lincoln, MT, because for 
them, that Hi-Country beef jerky tasted like being back home.
  These mom and pop shops of Montana tell the story of the ideals that 
make our Nation great. In fact, in Montana, 90 percent of our 
businesses are small businesses--90 percent. Montana's small business 
owners are hard-working Montanans. They have taken a leap of faith to 
pursue the dream of owning their own business.
  They get up early, they roll their sleeves up, and they don't stop 
working until they get the job done. They are folks who put everything 
they have into starting a business. They are working all day, 
oftentimes into the night, to keep that business growing. Their voices 
that make our economy run in Montana are seldom heard on the national 
stage.
  Those businesses that I mentioned earlier that I like to frequent are 
not household names across our country. They are well-known names back 
in their respective communities, but they are not on the national 
stage, and it is my honor to be their voice, to fight for policies that 
make their lives back in Montana easier.
  Thankfully, under Republican leadership over the last 3 years, our 
country has experienced record economic growth. That is not by 
accident.
  Since we passed tax reform, over 3\1/2\ million new jobs have been 
added to this economy, and we are seeing more money in the pockets of 
Montanans. Wages are up. Productivity is up. The unemployment rate sits 
at a 50. That is a five-decades-old low of 3.6 percent. Many said that 
can never be done. Guess what. Under President Trump's leadership, 
working with this Republican Congress, they have gotten it done.
  I want to make sure this economic hot streak continues because our 
rural communities back in Montana rely on these small businesses. That 
is why just last month I introduced the Main Street Tax Certainty Act, 
which would give these small businesses permanent tax relief. When 
government stands out of the way, when burdensome regulations are 
lifted, and when Congress finally understands that it is not government 
that creates growth but it is the individuals--the hard-working men and 
women in this country--then, there is no telling how far we can go as a 
nation. We have to keep this economy booming, and we must keep 
Montana's small businesses thriving.
  I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from West Virginia.