[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6434]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                SUPPORTING BACKBONE OF AMERICAN ECONOMY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania). The Chair 
recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Lance) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the backbone of 
the American economy: small business.
  Whether I meet with an owner of a family restaurant that has been on 
the same street corner for 50 years or a programmer for a startup tech 
company trying to land its first big break, I am always inspired by the 
amount of dedication and ingenuity that goes into running a small 
business. These men and women work hard, and their passion can always 
be seen in the products and services that they produce.
  The district I serve is home to so many thriving small businesses, 
and each one has a great story behind it. Such is the case with M.J. 
Neill, Incorporated, a family-owned heating company located in 
Bernardsville, New Jersey. This is M.J. Neill's 100th anniversary.
  Business has not always been easy for M.J. Neill. The company has 
been overcoming obstacles since David W. Neill started it in 1917. It 
has had to navigate through the Great Depression, the OPEC oil crisis, 
and the 2008 financial crisis. It has had to make the move from coal to 
more efficient fuels. But through four generations, M.J. Neill has 
always been able to adapt and expand its business.
  M.J. Neill continues to be a household name in heating in the 
Bernardsville area. It caters to other local small businesses and 
families all around Somerset and Morris Counties, and it is known for 
its 24/7 service and family-oriented approach. Some of its customers 
even date back to when the company first began, testament to the value 
of the honest service that M.J. Neill provides.
  Today I congratulate current owner David Neill on the centennial of 
the company. The entrepreneurial spirit and innovation the Neill family 
has exhibited over the past 100 years is truly exemplary and serves as 
an example to all of us.
  The stories we hear about successful small businesses are not the 
only evidence we have that they are pivotal to our economy. The 
statistics also prove that point.
  We have over 29 million small businesses in the United States, and 
nearly two-thirds of the jobs created in this country come from those 
businesses. It is undeniable that a thriving small business sector is 
critical to bolstering employment in this country.
  The same is true in New Jersey, which is home to 843,000 small 
businesses, accounting for over 99 percent of the total businesses in 
the State. These same small businesses employ 1.8 million people in New 
Jersey, more than half of our total workforce.
  With so many people relying on work from our small business 
community, it only makes sense that Congress does everything possible 
to support them. That is why we must use this week, National Small 
Business Week, to continue to talk about the ways we can help rid small 
businesses of harmful regulations and equip them with the tools they 
need to grow and to prosper.
  Last year we made great strides in the House by passing legislation 
such as the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act and the 
Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, 
but we need to do more. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides 
of the aisle to come together to support pro-small business 
legislation. Families like the Neills work hard their entire lives to 
serve their communities. It is imperative that those of us in Congress 
work to serve them as well.

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