Chamber Applauds Bush Small Business Agenda

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States Chamber of Commerce today hailed President Bush's newly unveiled effort to champion the cause of the small business community and create an environment in which small businesses can flourish.

"The Bush proposal rewards the risk-takers and gives critical relief to small-business owners who are integral to a robust U.S. economy," said Giovanni Coratolo, Chamber director of small business policy. "Bush's package would free entrepreneurs from excessive government burdens and allow them to devote much-needed time and resources to their customers, new products, and employees."

The president's plan would help small businesses provide more affordable health coverage to their employees through medical-savings-account reforms and authorization of association health plans, tear down regulatory barriers to job creation and make government agencies more sensitive to small business concerns in the regulatory process, provide tax relief through accelerated expensing and permanent repeal of the death tax, and level the playing field for government contracts, according to the Chamber.

"The Chamber will stand beside the president as he moves his package through Congress," said Coratolo. "Small businesses embody the American dream — we can't afford to let that dream slip away."

Small businesses create 75% of all new U.S. jobs, noted Coratolo.

Almost 97% of the U.S. Chamber's members are small businesses, and the Chamber has long been a backer of the president's small business policies that were presented in a comprehensive package today.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation, representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

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