Expressing support for the designation of September 22, 2020, to September 24, 2020, as "National Small Business Week" to honor the entrepreneurial spirit and contributions of small businesses and entrepreneurs in the United States.

IV 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. RES. 1134 Expressing support for the designation of September 22, 2020, to September 24, 2020, as ‘‘National Small Business Week’’ to honor the entrepre- neurial spirit and contributions of small businesses and entrepreneurs in the United States. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SEPTEMBER 21, 2020 Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ (for herself, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. CROW, Mrs. RADEWAGEN, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. BALDERSON, Mr. GOLDEN, Mr. KEVIN HERN of Okla- homa, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Mr. SPANO, Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania, Ms. JUDY CHU of California, Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina, Ms. FINKENAUER, Mr. EVANS, Ms. CRAIG, Ms. HOULAHAN, Mr. STAUBER, Ms. DAVIDS of Kansas, Ms. NORTON, Mr. COHEN, Mr. SIRES, Ms. WEXTON, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. CASE, Ms. BONAMICI, Mr. PETERSON, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mrs. LURIA, Mr. HORSFORD, and Mrs. FLETCHER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Small Business RESOLUTION Expressing support for the designation of September 22, 2020, to September 24, 2020, as ‘‘National Small Busi- ness Week’’ to honor the entrepreneurial spirit and con- tributions of small businesses and entrepreneurs in the United States. Whereas every year since 1963 every President of the United States has proclaimed a ‘‘National Small Business Week’’; VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:42 Sep 22, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1134.IH HR1134 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HRES 1134 IH Whereas the approximately 30,700,000 small businesses in the United States are the driving force behind the econ- omy of the Nation, representing 99.9 percent of all busi- nesses with employees in the United States; Whereas small businesses employ 47.1 percent of the employ- ees in the private sector in America and are responsible for creating nearly two-thirds of new jobs; Whereas every congressional district in the United States contains a small business; Whereas small businesses will play an integral role in rebuild- ing the economy of the Nation; Whereas Congress established the Small Business Adminis- tration in 1953 to aid, counsel, assist, and protect the in- terests of small businesses; to ensure that a fair propor- tion of the total purchases, contracts, and subcontracts for property and services for the Federal Government are placed with small businesses; to make certain access to critical capital is made available to such small businesses; and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy; Whereas the Small Business Administration has helped small businesses with access to critical lending opportunities, played a key role in ensuring full and open competition for government contracts, and improved the economic en- vironment in which small business concerns compete; and Whereas September 22, 2020, to September 24, 2020, would be an appropriate period to celebrate ‘‘National Small Business Week’’: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 1 (1) honors and celebrates the entrepreneurial 2 spirit and contributions of small businesses and en- 3 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:42 Sep 22, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR1134.IH HR1134 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HRES 1134 IH trepreneurs in every community in the United 1 States; 2 (2) applauds the efforts and achievements of 3 the owners of small businesses and their employees, 4 whose hard work and commitment to excellence have 5 made them a key part of the economic vitality of the 6 Nation; 7 (3) supports the designation of ‘‘National Small 8 Business Week’’; 9 (4) recognizes the importance of ensuring that 10 policies which promote an environment in which 11 small businesses may succeed; and 12 (5) supports efforts to— 13 (A) encourage consumers to utilize small 14 businesses; 15 (B) increase awareness of the value of 16 small businesses and the impact they have on 17 rebuilding the economy of the United States; 18 (C) hold Federal agencies accountable for 19 meeting procurement goals for small businesses, 20 including the goals for small businesses owned 21 and controlled by service-disabled veterans, 22 small businesses owned and controlled by 23 women, HUBZone small businesses, and so- 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:42 Sep 22, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR1134.IH HR1134 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HRES 1134 IH cially and economically disadvantaged small 1 businesses; 2 (D) ensure guaranteed loans and 3 microloans for startup and growing small busi- 4 nesses are made available to all qualified small 5 businesses, including women, veterans, and so- 6 cially and economically disadvantaged small 7 businesses; 8 (E) provide small businesses the technical 9 assistance and counseling that they desperately 10 need; 11 (F) strengthen small business disaster as- 12 sistance through the Small Business Adminis- 13 tration to guarantee it is provided in a timely 14 and efficient manner; 15 (G) facilitate access to affordable 16 broadband service to foster rural small business 17 growth; and 18 (H) foster systems of intellectual property 19 protection for small business innovation. 20 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:42 Sep 22, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR1134.IH HR1134 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS