[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 178 (Thursday, November 7, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S6481]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 413--DESIGNATING THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 4 THROUGH 
     NOVEMBER 8, 2019, AS ``NATIONAL VETERANS SMALL BUSINESS WEEK''

  Mr. RUBIO (for himself, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Risch, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. 
Grassley, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Romney, Mr. Booker, Mr. Cassidy, Ms. 
Hirono, Mr. Inhofe, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Young, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Moran, 
Mr. Reed, Mr. Braun, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Ernst, 
Mr. Jones, Mr. Alexander, Ms. Sinema, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Mr. 
Barrasso, Ms. Collins, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Daines, Mr. Roberts, Mr. 
Kennedy, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. Hawley, and Ms. 
McSally) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 
agreed to:

                              S. Res. 413

       Whereas the Armed Forces of the United States train 
     individuals with the skills, discipline, and leadership 
     necessary to establish and operate a successful business;
       Whereas there are more than 2,500,000 veteran-owned small 
     businesses in the United States, employing more than 
     5,000,000 individuals;
       Whereas veteran-owned businesses make up nearly 10 percent 
     of all businesses in the United States;
       Whereas veterans account for more than $1,100,000,000,000 
     in business receipts every year;
       Whereas veterans are 45 percent more likely to be self-
     employed than non-veterans;
       Whereas business ownership by women veterans has increased 
     significantly, from 97,114 in 2007 to 383,302 in 2012;
       Whereas the Office of Veterans Business Development of the 
     Small Business Administration is dedicated to maximizing the 
     availability and usability of small business programs for--
       (1) veterans;
       (2) members of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of 
     the United States;
       (3) members of the Armed Forces of the United States 
     serving on active duty;
       (4) transitioning service members; and
       (5) the spouses, dependents, or survivors of those members 
     and veterans;
       Whereas the Small Business Administration annually serves 
     more than 200,000 veterans, service-disabled veterans, women 
     veterans, members and veterans of the National Guard, members 
     and veterans of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of 
     the United States, and military spouses;
       Whereas the entrepreneurship training program of the Small 
     Business Administration, Boots to Business, has trained more 
     than 100,000 service members, veterans, and spouses of 
     service members and veterans since launching in 2013;
       Whereas the Small Business Administration hosts events 
     honoring National Veterans Small Business Week from November 
     4 through November 8, 2019;
       Whereas the Committee on Small Business and 
     Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the Committee on Small 
     Business of the House of Representatives celebrate National 
     Veterans Small Business Week during the week of November 4 
     through November 8, 2019; and
       Whereas the week of November 4 through November 8, 2019, 
     would be an appropriate time to celebrate National Veterans 
     Small Business Week: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate joins with the Small Business 
     Administration in--
       (1) designating the week of November 4 through November 8, 
     2019, as ``National Veterans Small Business Week'';
       (2) supporting the goals and ideals of National Veterans 
     Small Business Week;
       (3) celebrating the millions of individuals in the United 
     States, especially veterans of the United States and the 
     spouses of those veterans, who benefit from the programs of 
     the Small Business Administration; and
       (4) expressing appreciation for the continued service to 
     the United States by the veterans of the United States 
     through small business ownership and entrepreneurship.

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