Please welcome guest blogger Congresswoman Yvette Clarke.

By Rep. Yvette Clarke, (D-N.Y.)

Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.)

(Sept. 24, 2009) Small businesses have experienced difficulties in this challenging economy. More than half of the 763,000 jobs lost in the first half of 2008 were lost in small firms. Small firms continue to face a tough environment into 2009 with concerns in a wide range of areas including access to capital, availability and costs of health insurance, attracting a quality work force, and meeting the unique 21st century global competitive challenge.

During the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference, I will be sponsoring two forums that will address some of these issues.  The first forum on Wednesday explores the federal procurement process and will teach attendees about the basics of contracting with Federal government agencies. The second forum will invite small business lending experts to share strategies that minority small businesses can employ to access capital in this tough environment.

On Thursday September 24, legal experts will gather to explain the impact that a recent case, Rothe Development Corporation v. Department of Defense, has had on Federal procurement efforts using minority firms in America.

What’s a small business?  Generally defined as private for profit firms with fewer than 500 employees, are the key to the health of the U.S. economy. Small businesses represent 99.7% of all employer firms, employ about half of all private sector employees, pay nearly 45% of the U.S. private payroll, and are responsible for more than half of non-farm private GDP. Since the mid-1990s small businesses have created 60-80% of the net new jobs in the United States.

 As a Member of the House Committee on Small Business, I am constantly examining ways that Congress can address the needs of our nation’s small businesses, especially those in the 11th District.

I will be focused like a laser on ensuring that small businesses, the engines of our economy, are able to access the resources that they need to expand their capacity. I will be supportive of legislation that creates more avenues for access to capital for small businesses, improves and expands the technical assistance capabilities of the SBA, and increases contracting opportunities for minority, veteran, and women owned small businesses.

TAGS: Congressional Black Caucus, rep. yvette clarke, Small Business, small firms

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