Posted by Molly Nelson -
As part of National Small Business Week (NSBW),
the SBA honors the top small businesses from across the nation. Earlier
this week, President Barack Obama honored these award recipients and
made remarks on the state of small business in America. The NASE's
General Counsel, Mike Beene, attended the event in the Rose Garden.
Here are some of his thoughts about the event:
Some days renew your enthusiasm to fight for the self-employed. I
had the privilege of attending a Rose Garden reception where President
Obama recognized this year's National Small Business Week small
business award winners for each state.
It was so inspiring to hear about these many small business owners, all
from different places and with different businesses and passions, but
all hard working Americans. I truly believe that our entrepreneurs are
our country's true strength, and I think it is good for the President
to be reminded of the importance of small business.
While the President lauded small business owners for "contributing to
the success of this country’s economy...[and the] country’s continued
growth and prosperity," he also acknowledged the difficulties that
small business owners have been facing recently, noting that:
"...small business owners have also been the hardest hit by this
recession. From the middle of 2007 through the end of 2008, small
businesses lost 2.4 million jobs. And because banks shrunk from lending
in the midst of the financial crisis, it’s been difficult for small
business owners to take out the loans they need to open up shop or to
expand. For those who do own a small business, it’s hard to finance
inventories, make payrolls, or to do that additional work that could
make your business grow."
President Obama stated that,"government can’t create jobs, but it can
help create the conditions for small businesses to grow and to thrive
and to hire more workers." The President continued to express his hope
that recently passed legislation such as tax cuts for hiring unemployed
workers, larger tax write offs for investments in new equipment and
health care tax credits will help take some of the burden off of small
business owners.
President Obama went on to say that he is calling on Congress to pass a
small business jobs package as soon as possible, with provisions for
tax relief, SBA loan program expansions, and two lending initiatives -
the $30 billion Small Business Lending Fund to help small community and
neighborhood banks increase small business lending and a new state
small business credit program to expand private lending for small
businesses and manufacturers.
The NASE is a staunch supporter of the SBA loan programs, as well as
efforts to provide tax relief and increase lending to small business
owners. I hope that the President and Congress are able to pass a small
business bill that will truly assist the most important part of the
small business economy: the self-employed and microbusinesses.
Click here to read the President's full remarks.