[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 16173]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 638--CELEBRATING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SMALL 
                  BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER NETWORK

  Ms. SNOWE (for herself, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Vitter, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. 
Enzi, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Isakson, Mrs. Hagan, Mr. Thune, Ms. Cantwell, 
Mr. Bond, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Risch, and Mr. Pryor) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 638

       Whereas the Small Business Development Center (referred to 
     in this preamble as ``SBDC'') network will celebrate its 30th 
     anniversary at a conference to be held September 21 through 
     24, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas;
       Whereas the conference will be held to continue the 
     professional development of employees of SBDCs and to 
     commemorate the educational and technical assistance offered 
     by SBDCs to small businesses across the United States;
       Whereas for 30 years, SBDCs have been among the preeminent 
     organizations in the United States for providing business 
     advice, one-on-one counseling, and indepth training to small 
     businesses;
       Whereas, during the 30 years prior to the approval of this 
     resolution, the SBDC network has grown from 9 fledgling 
     centers to a nationwide network of 63 lead centers, with more 
     than 4,000 business advisors providing services at over 1,000 
     service locations;
       Whereas the SBDC network has worked for 30 years with the 
     Small Business Administration, institutions of higher 
     education, State governments, Congress, and others to 
     significantly enhance the economic health and strength of 
     small businesses in the United States;
       Whereas SBDCs have assisted more than 20,000,000 small 
     businesses throughout the 30 years prior to the approval of 
     this resolution and continue to aid and support hundreds of 
     thousands of small businesses annually;
       Whereas 33 percent of all SBDC clients are minorities, 43 
     percent of all SBDC clients are women, and 9 percent of all 
     SBDC clients are veterans;
       Whereas, since the inception of SBDCs, SBDCs have continued 
     to redefine and transform the services offered by SBDCs, 
     including training and advising, and have taken on new 
     missions, in order to ensure that small businesses have 
     relevant and significant assistance in all economic 
     conditions; and
       Whereas Congress continues to support SBDCs and the role of 
     SBDCs in assisting small businesses and building the economic 
     success of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Small Business 
     Development Center network; and
       (2) expresses appreciation for--
       (A) the steadfast partnership between the Small Business 
     Development Center network and the Small Business 
     Administration; and
       (B) the work of the Small Business Development Center 
     network in ensuring quality assistance to small business and 
     access for all to the American Dream.

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