| Weekly Update from Sam |
Dear Friends,
This week my House Republican colleagues and I took great strides in reducing barriers to small business growth by passing the long overdue free trade agreements with Panama, Colombia and South Korea, and legislation that protects small business jobs and supports affordable energy by appropriately leaving coal ash regulation enforcement to the states.
While passage of the free trade agreements and the coal ash bill are great steps in the right direction, much more must be done to remove the uncertainty facing small business owners. Small companies are our best hope for an economic recovery, and the House Small Business Committee will continue to look for more ways to remove the reins put on them by Washington so that small companies are unleashed to grow and hire without government interference.
Sam Graves
Chairman
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Latest Committee Action
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On Wednesday, Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) held a full committee hearing to examine the impact on small businesses that may result from LightSquared’s use of its spectrum to provide broadband service near the Global Positioning System (GPS). Numerous small businesses, including farmers, construction contractors, surveyors, and the general aviation industry, rely on the accuracy of GPS. Potential interference with GPS raises significant concerns to these small companies.
On Monday, October 17th, Subcommittee on Contracting and the Workforce Chairman Mick Mulvaney will hold a field hearing in Pasadena, California. The hearing will examine the resources available to new legal immigrants interested in becoming entrepreneurs. Witnesses at the hearing will represent Small Business Administration’s entrepreneurial outreach partners, community organizations and lenders.
Next week, October 17-21, the House will be in recess for a district work period. |
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Notable Op-Ed
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Innovators of Tomorrow Need the Freedom to Pursue Dreams
By Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC)
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
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News From Washington
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| On Wednesday, the House passed the three long-delayed free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea. The U.S. International Trade Commission estimates that the three trade agreements combined would increase U.S. exports by $13 billion — and for every $1 billion in U.S. exports an estimated 6,000 jobs will be created. In 2010 alone, American exports supported nearly 10 million jobs, including an estimated 4 million for small businesses.
On Thursday, the House passed the Protect Life Act (H.R. 358) by a vote of 251-172. This legislation would amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to prevent federal funding of abortion or abortion coverage.
Also on Thursday, the House voted in support of the EPA Regulatory Relief Act (H.R. 2250) 275-142. This bill would block the implementation of four EPA-proposed regulations that would place new costs on manufacturers and businesses small and large.
On Friday, the House passed the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act of 2011 (H.R. 2273) by a vote of 267-144. This bipartisan bill would provide for consistent, safe management of coal combustion residuals in a way that protects jobs, encourages recycling and promotes beneficial use.
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| October 14, 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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