[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[May 12, 1992]
[Pages 754-755]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 754]]

Remarks at a Ceremony Honoring Small Business Administration Award 
Winners

May 12, 1992
    Please be seated, and welcome. On perhaps the most beautiful day 
we've had here in the Rose Garden, I want to welcome all of you. Single 
out our Secretary of the Treasury, standing up here with me; Boyden 
Gray, my Counsel; and of course, Pat Saiki, the SBA Administrator, who's 
back from a very good mission, well-executed mission to a very troubling 
scene in Los Angeles. Pat runs the SBA, and she was with me out there in 
L.A. as we surveyed what can be done to help the city, and she's moving 
out on that. Let me also welcome our new Chief Counsel for Advocacy, Tom 
Kerester, right over here. Welcome, sir. And also single out Shirley 
Peterson, the Commissioner at IRS. Shirley? And next to her is the 
Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, John Robson. Welcome, sir.
    It's hard on this Small Business Day not to think of the thousands 
of small business people who suffered damage out there in Los Angeles. 
And my commitment to them is this: We are working to get whatever 
disaster assistance the Federal Government can provide into their hands 
in record time. They have suffered enough. And I'm trying to make sure 
that frustration with redtape and bureaucratic stumbling doesn't add to 
their troubles. I know the SBA has been out there in the forefront of 
this effort working with our task force that we put together under the 
able leadership of David Kearns and Al DelliBovi.
    As you know, today I called the congressional leaders of both 
parties to the White House. And I'm pleased with the early results of 
our efforts to forge a bipartisan basis and from which to support the 
opportunity agenda for America's inner cities. It's a promising start, 
and we will push ahead.
    We're here today because it is Small Business Week. And we have with 
us from all 50 States and beyond the Small Business Persons of the Year. 
Welcome to the White House, America's ultimate mom-and-pop operation. 
[Laughter]
    I computed this a while back, and I've spent 50 percent of my adult 
life in the private sector and 50 percent in Government. And I started 
in small business out there in west Texas. And I thus know something of 
what you all go through in starting something from scratch, working with 
it night and day, and then hoping that you succeed. Success goes to 
those who work hard, refuse to give up, and learn from their mistakes. 
Pat was telling me of the remarkable record of the winners that we have 
here with us today.
    I also know what it's like to cope with regulation and paperwork 
from the Government. And sometimes the bureaucracy makes things 
needlessly complicated. We're supposed to serve the taxpayers in the 
same way the business has to serve its customers. So making things 
needlessly complex in Government is not only wrong, it is bad for 
business.
    And so today, we're going to do something about that. To honor these 
outstanding business people, we're going to do something outstanding for 
small businesses across the country. Every business man and woman 
sitting here can tell you how burdensome it is to comply with IRS 
payroll tax rules. And if they can't tell you, it's because they're 
probably paying somebody else to cope with all the headaches for them. 
But today the IRS is implementing faster, cheaper, and simpler ways for 
businesses, large and small, to deal with the payroll tax system.
    This week, the IRS will issue a proposed rule to reduce the 
complicated deposit schedule. Large companies will be able to make 
payroll tax deposits on a fixed day of the week. Moreover, as many as 75 
percent of all businesses will make payments just once a month. Now, 
these simplifications will significantly reduce the cost, confusion, and 
complexity of the payroll tax system.
    We're also moving forward to eliminate all the duplicate W-2 forms 
and other payroll tax information that employers have been required to 
supply. We're working to

[[Page 755]]

set up a single wage-reporting system so that separate forms don't have 
to be sent to the IRS and then the Departments of Labor and Social 
Security, and State and local governments.
    In June, an experimental program in Georgia, South Carolina, and 
Florida will let employers make tax payments electronically, without 
even leaving their office. And no more paper coupons to file or standing 
in line at the bank. Small business learned long ago that computers 
could do more work in less time for less cost. And it's time we, 
therefore, bring the Government out of the horse-and-buggy era, into the 
information age, and stop having business do the Government's paperwork. 
[Applause] I felt that would go over reasonably well here.
    The IRS may not be--with all respect, Commissioner--the most popular 
agency in town. But look, they're working hard now not to be the most 
infuriating agency in town. And we have a new, able leader and some very 
able people dedicated to that end. Last month, the IRS Center in Ogden, 
Utah, won our award, the President's Award for Quality, which goes to 
the Government office that provides excellent public service in a cost-
effective manner. It is this new kind of attitude in Government service 
that must be brought to every Federal bureaucracy: putting people first, 
treating taxpayers as customers.
    Now, there's a man who knows what I'm talking about. The small 
business winners here know, also, what I'm talking about. James Fleming, 
where is he now? Right here, sir. James Fleming started his metal 
component business in his basement, and he turned it into a $15 million 
international business. Jim's designed everything from medical equipment 
used in hip replacements to an assembly line for Jiffy Pop popcorn. And 
Richard Stewart, Mr. Stewart, right here, turned a part-time hobby 
selling natural spices into America's largest supplier of bulk herbs, 
spices, gourmet coffee, and tea to the natural foods industry.
    And then there's Amelia McCoy. Amelia? Right here, sitting here. Her 
business began, I'm told, as an act of love, making hair ribbons for her 
granddaughters. And now the hairbows that her company sells are handmade 
by 450 people in rural Oklahoma who work at home and generate $5 million 
in sales. And for that, Amelia is this year's Small Business Person of 
the Year. Maybe you should stand up so everybody can see you.
    Since I announced our new moratorium on new regulations in January, 
our administration has worked to reduce the burden Government places on 
the businesses of this country. And we've also looked at existing 
regulations, like the ones I spoke of today, to see now we could help 
the economy by eliminating or by simplifying regulations that impede 
economic growth for no good reason. And I'm sure Amelia would rather be 
tying a red ribbon for her granddaughter than spending all day untying 
redtape. So maybe this will help out.
    Every business dollar that goes into complying with some Government 
mandate is a dollar that won't be spent hiring new workers. Two-thirds 
or more of the new jobs in this country, two-thirds, are created by 
small business. And you are the heart and soul of what makes this 
economy work and what makes the American dream possible for your 
employees and for their families.
    I will do my level-best, working with the officials I've introduced 
here today and others, to keep Government under control and out of your 
way so you can go out and do what you do best, create jobs, create goods 
and services for the American people.
    So, thank you all for being here. Again, my congratulations to the 
winner. And may God bless our great country on this beautiful day. Thank 
you so much.

                    Note: The President spoke at 3:05 p.m. in the Rose 
                        Garden at the White House. In his remarks, he 
                        referred to David T. Kearns, Deputy Secretary of 
                        Education, and Alfred A. DelliBovi, Deputy 
                        Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.