| Weekly Update from Sam |
Dear Friends,
Today I am pleased to announce the launching of “Small Biz Open Mic,” a new interactive website that gives American small businesses the opportunity to communicate directly with the House Small Business Committee about how the government is helping or harming their business.
The Small Biz Open Mic website is an exciting new media forum that encourages blog-type comments and testimonials from small business owners across America regarding government policies, and allows participants to comment on Committee news, legislation, hearing information, and stories that relate to small business growth and development. Comments from participants about legislation and policies that impact small businesses will be used to help the Committee conduct its official business.
The testimony that we hear from our hearings is an important part of our legislative process, however, not every small business has the opportunity to travel to Washington, DC to appear before the Committee. Small Biz Open Mic will help change this and open more lines of communication with the Committee.
Click here to visit the new site and tell us directly what your small business is facing.
Sam Graves
Chairman
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Latest Committee Action
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On Wednesday, House Small Business Committee Chairman Sam Graves held a hearing to examine proposals for a medium-sized business program. The Small Business Act, along with the Small Business Administration (SBA), have set forth definitions and size standards to determine exactly what constitutes a small business. These determinations help establish what companies have access to government contracting programs. However, tensions arise when firms no longer qualify as small according to SBA size standards, but still meet the Small Business Act definition.
On Thursday, Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce Chairman Mick Mulvaney (R-SC) held a hearing to examine three recent U.S. Government Accountability Office reports on programs that exist to help small businesses compete for federal contracts. The hearing highlighted notable successes within the programs; however, the recent reports reveal that these programs could and should function much better. It is clear several agencies that are refusing to comply with the Small Business Act are making the problem worse.
Next week, on Monday, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and Trade Chairman Scott Tipton (R-CO) will hold a field hearing in Grand Junction, CO to examine burdensome federal regulations and policies on the energy industry and their impact on small businesses, jobs and consumer prices.
On Wednesday, the House Small Business Committee will hold a full committee hearing to examine the President’s Executive Order that requires federal agencies to develop plans for retrospective review of all their regulations. The Committee will hear from the official overseeing compliance with these plans - the Honorable Cass Sunstein, Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget.
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3% Withholding Press Conference
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On Wednesday, House Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce Chairman Mick Mulvaney (R-SC), Ways & Means Committee Member Rep. Wally Herger (R-CA), U.S. Chamber of Commerce Vice President Giovanni Coratolo and small business owners called on President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to support repeal of the 3% withholding tax as part of the Fall job creation agenda.
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News From Washington
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On Tuesday, the House passed the Empowering Parents through Quality Charter Schools Act (H.R. 2218) by a vote of 365-54. This bill empowers parents and expands access for students to attend high-quality charter schools.
On Wednesday, the House passed a resolution expressing disapproval of a scheduled $500 billion increase in the statutory debt limit by a vote of 232-186. The Budget Control Act authorizes Congress to consider a resolution of disapproval of the debt limit increase and provides expedited procedures for its consideration.
On Thursday, the House approved the Protecting Jobs from Government Interference Act (H.R. 2587) by a vote of 238-186. This bill would prohibit the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) from dictating where an employer can and cannot locate jobs in the United States. For example, in the South Carolina Boeing case, the NLRB filed a complaint against Boeing for creating work in South Carolina and demanded the work be transferred elsewhere.
Next week, the House is expected to consider H. J. Res. 79, a continuing resolution to provide short-term appropriated funding for discretionary government operations through November 18, 2011.
The House will also consider the TRAIN Act which would require a cumulative impact study on over 14 actions being proposed by the Obama Administration that would have a major impact our energy, manufacturing, economy and jobs.
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| September 16, 2011 |
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| What We're Reading |
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| Member Highlights |
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| Small Biz Resources |
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