By Ken Presley
Washington, DC – Presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton shared more in common than just occupying the Oval Office.
All three presidents hosted a White House Conference on Small Business (1980, 1986, 1995) in an effort to foster better relationships with members of the business community, Congress and the White House. The initiatives sought to develop policy solutions to economic challenges, and each of the three conferences issued 60 policy recommendations for Congress and the Administration to consider. Many of the protections small businesses enjoy today were a result of those conferences.
More than two decades have passed since the last White House conference, and the small business community has likely lost some of its luster inside the Beltway.
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), small businesses represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms. Since 1995, small businesses have generated 64 percent of new jobs and paid 44 percent of the total United States private payroll.
Along with creating jobs, small businesses contribute to the economic growth of their communities’ socioeconomic development. In particular, they have provided opportunities for women and minorities to achieve financial success and independence. Approximately 95 percent of the motorcoach industry is classified as small business.
U.S. House Representatives Rod Blum (R-IA), Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) and Al Lawson (D-FL) introduced H. R. 6446, the “White House Conference on Small Business Act of 2018,” in an effort to ensure that small business issues remain at the forefront of policy discussions. There are increased sensitivities when considering the impact of regulations and legislation on small businesses when highlighted by Congress and the President. Small businesses are particularly vulnerable to increased regulatory burdens.
The United Motorcoach Association (UMA) is part of a larger coalition, the Coalition for the White House Conference on Small Business, urging passage of H.R. 6446 and currently seeking support in the U.S. Senate for a companion bill.
UMA members should give a green light to this and encourage their House representatives to support and co-sponsor H.R. 6446.
For more information, contact Ken Presley at kpresley@uma.org.
