Small businesses are the backbone of America’s economy.  According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), small businesses represent 99.7% of all employer firms, 50% of all of the private sector workforce, and have provided 60-80% of all net new jobs in the last decade.  Small businesses infuse innovation, entrepreneurial spirit, and competition into our marketplace, and maintain the economic health of our local neighborhoods.  During my time in Congress, I have fought to make sure that small businesses in North Alabama are able to grow and thrive.  

As a member of the Financial Services Appropriations Subcommittee, which funds the SBA, I am committed to fighting in a bipartisan manner for the interests of small businesses. 

• Permanent Repeal of the Death Tax:  One of my top priorities is the permanent elimination of the Death Tax, which stifles the growth of our small businesses, and often forces families to liquidate a family-owned small business when a loved-one has died so that they can pay this unfair tax.  I am again a cosponsor of H.R. 2380, the Death Tax Repeal Permanency Act of 2007.
  
• Increase Access to Affordable Health Care:  We must give small businesses the same accessibility, affordability, and choices currently enjoyed by larger companies. Small businesses need a range of options to deal with rising health care costs, including Association Health Plans, tax credits and deductions, and expanded Medical Savings Accounts.
  
• Ensure a Fair Share of Federal Contracts for Small Businesses:  One of my ongoing priorities is to ensure that federal agencies are meeting their small business contracting goals. We must work to open federal contracting opportunities to small businesses.  In October of 2007, the House of Representatives passed, with my support, H.R. 3687, the Small Business Contracting Program Improvements Act.  This legislation seeks to expand and reform the contracting opportunities available for small businesses.  Particularly, this bill increases the contracts available for veteran owned small businesses. 

Additionally, I have introduced two bills in this session of Congress that I believe will benefit the small businesses in the Tennessee Valley. 

• H.R. 4212:  The Highly Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) program is essential to small business development in our region.  However, it is important to make sure that this program effectively promotes economic growth in traditionally underserved areas.  My legislation would allow a small number of qualified small businesses to individually apply for HUBZone status, even if they are not located in a declared HUBZone.
  
  
• H.R. 4213:  Our community thrives on hi-tech industries.  The SBA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants are an important tool for North Alabama’s small businesses.  However, the funding caps for these grants have not been updated in over 15 years.  My bill would simply bring the grant limits available under the SBIR program up to date.