The United States Senate last night passed S.RES.469, a resolution introduced by Senators Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., and Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, respectively, honoring National Small Business Week and the significant positive impact small businesses have on the American economy.

“National Small Business Week is a great opportunity to recognize and appreciate the American entrepreneurial spirit,” said Sen. Landrieu. “These small business owners take on enormous financial risk in their pursuit of the American Dream. They are our job creators, and the more successful they are, the more of an economic and innovative force our country will become. As Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, I will continue to do everything in my power to help small businesses thrive in today’s global economy by further opening access to capital, entrepreneurial development and government contracts. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on behalf of the nearly 28 million small businesses in America.”

“As we continue on this road to economic recovery, we must not lose sight of the integral role that small businesses will undoubtedly play in bolstering our resurgence. National Small Business Week is a time to recognize the extraordinary contributions that small businesses make to the health and vitality of our economy,” Sen. Snowe said. “I hope my colleagues in Congress will join me in celebrating small businesses every week of the year by reflecting on their substantial economic impact and focusing on initiatives that enhance, not inhibit, their ability to prosper, innovate, and create well paying jobs for Americans.”

Additional cosponsors of S.RES.469 were Senators Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Scott P. Brown (R-MA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Michael B. Enzi (R-WY), Kay Hagan (D-NC), John F. Kerry (D-MA), Joseph I. Lieberman (ID-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mark L. Pryor (D-AR), James E. Risch (R-ID), and Marco Rubio (R-FL).

Since 1963, the President of the United States has acknowledged the importance of entrepreneurs by annually announcing National Small Business Week. With small business creating two out of every three jobs and being 99.7% of employer firms, these job creators are the backbone of the American economy and should be appreciated for their hard work.

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