[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5689]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT OF AMERICAN SMALL BUSINESSES

  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now 
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 435, which was submitted 
earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 435) honoring the entrepreneurial 
     spirit of American small businesses during National Small 
     Business Week, beginning April 9, 2006.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider 
be laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 435) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 435

       Whereas America's 25,000,000 small businesses have been the 
     driving force behind the Nation's economy, creating more than 
     75 percent of all new jobs and generating more than 50 
     percent of the Nation's gross domestic product;
       Whereas small businesses are the Nation's innovators, 
     advancing technology and productivity;
       Whereas the Small Business Administration has been a 
     critical partner in the success of the Nation's small 
     businesses and in the growth of the Nation's economy;
       Whereas the programs and services of the Small Business 
     Administration have time and again proven their value, having 
     helped to create or retain over 5,300,000 jobs in the United 
     States since 1999;
       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 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, for more than 50 years, the Small Business 
     Administration has helped more than 23,000,000 Americans 
     start, grow, and expand their businesses and has placed 
     almost $280,000,000,000 in loans and venture capital 
     financing in the hands of entrepreneurs;
       Whereas the Small Business Administration, established in 
     1953, has provided valuable service to small businesses 
     through financial assistance, procurement assistance, 
     business development, small business advocacy, and disaster 
     recovery assistance;
       Whereas the Small Business Administration has helped 
     millions of entrepreneurs achieve the American dream of 
     owning a small business, and has played a key role in 
     fostering economic growth in underserved communities; and
       Whereas the Small Business Administration will mark 
     National Small Business Week, beginning April 9, 2006: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) honors the entrepreneurial spirit of America's small 
     businesses during the Small Business Administration's 
     National Small Business Week, beginning April 9, 2006;
       (2) supports the purpose and goals of National Small 
     Business Week, and the ceremonies and events to be featured 
     during the week;
       (3) commends the Small Business Administration and the 
     resource partners of the Small Business Administration for 
     their work, which has been critical in helping the Nation's 
     small businesses grow and develop; and
       (4) applauds the achievements of small business owners and 
     their employees, whose entrepreneurial spirit and commitment 
     to excellence has been a key player in the Nation's economic 
     vitality.

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