President Bush Proclaims National Small Business Week

WASHINGTON – President George W. Bush applauded America’s 25 million small businesses Monday and proclaimed the week of April 24 to 30 as National Small Business Week to celebrate their contributions.

“America’s economy is the most prosperous in the world, and the small business sector is one of its great strengths,” the President said in his annual proclamation. “During Small Business Week, we honor small business owners and workers, and we reaffirm our commitment to keeping America the best place in the world to do business.

“Our economy is strong and growing stronger. More Americans are working today than ever before,” he continued. “The unemployment rate is lower than the average rate of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Homeownership is at a record high. Family incomes are rising. Small businesses are at the heart of this growth, creating most new private-sector jobs in our economy and helping our citizens succeed.

“My Administration is committed to keeping small businesses vibrant and strong,” the President said. “We provided tax relief and streamlined tax reporting requirements for small businesses. We are working to reduce the burden of unnecessary regulation and excessive litigation. We are working to make health care more available and affordable. We are opening up markets for U.S. products through free trade agreements and by enforcing existing trade laws. And we have promoted a culture of ownership so that more people can own their own homes and start their own businesses.”

The President’s proclamation called on “all the people of the United States to observe this week with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs that celebrate the achievements of small business owners and their employees and encourage and foster the development of new small businesses.”

The Small Business Administration will continue to celebrate National Small Busienss Week with its SBA Expo 2005 held in Washington, D.C. this week. The President will make remarks before attendees in a special session event today at 2 p.m.

“We are tremendously pleased that President Bush will join us at our conference, which commemorates National Small Business Week,” said SBA Administrator Hector V. Barreto. “President Bush is a champion of small businesses and I know that the small business owners from across the country that will be joining us at Expo will look forward to hearing from him.”