Whereas President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Small Business Act on July 30, 1953, to create an independent agency to aid, counsel, assist, and protect the interests of small businesses;

Whereas there are more than 33,000,000 small businesses in the United States;

Whereas the men and women who own and operate the Nation’s small businesses make a vital contribution to the Nation’s prosperity through their ongoing work to create new technologies, products, and services;

Whereas small businesses are a driving force of the United States economy, driving innovation and competitiveness in the private sector;

Whereas 99.9 percent of businesses across the United States are small businesses;

Whereas nearly half of all United States employees are employed by a small business;

Whereas small businesses ensure a resilient and dominant industrial base critical to the defense of the United States;

Whereas the Small Business Administration helps small businesses access capital through private sector lending intermediaries;

Whereas the Small Business Administration supports entrepreneurial development with free and low-cost counseling and training in partnership with resource providers;

Whereas the Small Business Administration advocates on behalf of small businesses including reducing regulatory burdens, workforce development, and other issues; and

Whereas the Small Business Administration advocates for and supports access to capital and business assistance to help Americans reach the dream of entrepreneurship: Now, therefore, be it