Washington, D.C. —In honor of National Small Business Week, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is calling on Congress to embrace a set of five free enterprise principles that emphasize what small business owners, founders, and entrepreneurs need from government to grow and thrive.
America’s 32.5 million small businesses account for more than 99% of all U.S. companies and employ just under 47% of private sector employees. In the last two years, entrepreneurship has taken off at unprecedented levels, leading to the largest increase in new business applications in recorded history. To sustain this trend, policymakers need to nurture small business growth.
The Small Business ‘Bill of Rights’ asks our elected leaders to provide an environment where small business can:
- Hire and manage employees
- Establish the terms on which they do business
- Be protected against frivolous lawsuits
- Benefit from their business and direct its future
- Be free of onerous regulations
View the full text of the Bill of Rights here.
“These five principles summarize the basic rights of every small business owner in this country, and they should be embraced by every elected leader across our national, state and local governments,” said U.S. Chamber Vice President of Small Business Policy Tom Sullivan.
“Small business owners have faced challenge after challenge with the spirit of entrepreneurship and grit that that built our country. It’s more important now than ever, in the face of rising inflation and labor shortages, that our elected leaders keep small businesses top-of-mind when crafting legislation.”
The Small Business Bill of Rights builds on the U.S. Chamber’s longstanding commitment to small businesses. To celebrate small business this week, and all month long, CO—by U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched a webpage highlighting small business events happening in May, and tools and resources business owners can use year-round in their entrepreneurial journey.
On Thursday, May 5 at 12 Noon ET, CO— by U.S. Chamber of Commerce will host a Small Business Update: Economy and Policy Outlook where the U.S. Chamber’s Chief Policy Officer Neil Bradley will break down the latest trends and policies impacting small businesses with CO— Editor-in-Chief Jeanette Mulvey. Register to join.
