Chamber Letter to Members of the Senate Committee on Appropriations

April 10, 2006

TO THE MEMBERS OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

As a longstanding advocate for funding of our nation's Small Business Development Center (SBDC) network, I am writing to urge you to provide an appropriation of $110 million in the FY 2007 Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations bill.

Government policies that foster and encourage robust entrepreneurial activity and small business ownership provide the basis for economic prosperity important to the long-term vitality and success of our nation. One such policy is our investment in the Small Business Development Centers.

The SBDC network assists over 1.3 million entrepreneurs annually in starting, growing, and expanding their businesses. It is vital to have a well-funded SBDC infrastructure in place to provide a cost-effective way to help these small business owners develop the skills they need to manage cash flow, restore markets, bolster revenue streams and increase sales — while creating new jobs and additional state and federal revenues.

Regrettably, in recent years, the impact of inflation combined with flat funding appropriation levels from Congress has eroded the ability of this program to be fully effective. Moreover, the recent gravity of natural disasters has placed additional strains on centers attempting to help small businesses recover, further encumbering the economic vitality of those regions affected.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation, representing more than three million businesses of every size, sector, and region. More than 96 percent of the Chamber's members are small businesses and organizations with 100 or fewer employees. On behalf of these small employers, I again urge you to provide an appropriation of $110 million in the FY 2007 Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations bill for the SBDC network.

Sincerely,

R. Bruce Josten

Executive Vice President, Government Affairs
U.S. Chamber of Commerce