[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Pages 7609-7610]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 120--HONORING SMALL BUSINESSES DURING THE SMALL 
   BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION'S NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS WEEK, THE WEEK 
                       BEGINNING APRIL 24, 2005.

  Ms. SNOWE (for herself, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Talent, Mr. Vitter, Mr. 
Cornyn, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Burns, Mr. Bond, Mr. Allen, Mr. Isakson, and 
Ms. Landrieu) submitted the following resolution; which was considered 
and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 120

       Whereas America's 25,000,000 small businesses have fueled 
     the Nation's economy, creating more than \3/4\ of all new 
     jobs and accounting for more than 50 percent of the Nation's 
     gross domestic product;
       Whereas small businesses are the Nation's innovators, 
     advancing technology and fueling the economic growth and 
     productivity;
       Whereas the Small Business Administration has been a 
     critical partner in the success of the Nation's small 
     businesses and these businesses' continued economic growth;
       Whereas the mission of the Small Business Administration is 
     to maintain and strengthen the Nation's economy by aiding, 
     counseling, assisting, and protecting the interests of small 
     businesses and by helping families and small businesses 
     recover from natural disasters;
       Whereas the Small Business Administration has helped small 
     businesses access critical lending opportunities, protected 
     small businesses from excessive Federal regulatory 
     enforcement, played a key role in ensuring full and open 
     competition for government contracts, and improved the 
     economic environment in which small businesses compete;
       Whereas the Small Business Administration, which was 
     established in 1953, has also provided valuable service to 
     small businesses through financial assistance, technical 
     assistance, procurement assistance, small business advocacy, 
     and disaster recovery assistance;
       Whereas for over 50 years the Small Business Administration 
     has helped approximately 22,000,000 Americans start, grow, 
     and expand their businesses and has placed almost 
     $250,000,000,000 in loans and venture capital financing into 
     the hands of entrepreneurs;
       Whereas the Small Business Administration has helped 
     millions of entrepreneurs achieve the American dream of 
     owning a small business; and
       Whereas the Small Business Administration will mark 
     National Small Business Week, the week beginning April 24, 
     2005: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) honors small businesses during the Small Business 
     Administration's National Small Business Week, the week 
     beginning April 24, 2005;
       (2) supports the purpose and goals of National Small 
     Business Week; and

[[Page 7610]]

       (3) commends the Small Business Administration and the 
     Small Business Administration's resource partners--
       (A) for their work, which has been critical in helping the 
     Nation's small businesses grow and develop; and
       (B) for being key players in the Nation's economic 
     vitality.

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