Press Release
☷A Proclamation on National Small Business Week 2022
White House ( By Press Release office)
Apr 29,2022
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For generations , small businesses across America have shaped and embodied our Nation’s entrepreneurial spirit and driven our economy forward . Today , more than 32 million small businesses employ almost half of America’s workforce and represent the heart and soul of countless communities . During National Small Business Week , we celebrate America’s small businesses and their enormous contributions to American life and prosperity . When I first took office , the pandemic had devastated America’s small business community . Hundreds of thousands of small businesses had closed , main streets were shuttered , and millions more Americans were out of work through no fault of their own . Even with the creativity and resilience of small business owners and workers , COVID - 19 took an incalculable toll on so many lives and livelihoods . That is why I made it a top priority to provide substantial , immediate relief to our Nation’s small businesses , giving them the tools , resources , and support they needed to reopen , rehire , and rebuild . My American Rescue Plan and other emergency relief programs distributed hundreds of billions of dollars to millions of small businesses to keep the lights on and keep workers on the payroll . My Administration also removed historic barriers to level the playing field for businesses across rural and urban America , especially businesses owned by veterans , women , and people of color . These efforts have helped millions of small businesses not only weather the pandemic , but thrive . My Administration is committed to unlocking new opportunities to help small businesses grow and compete . Through the American Rescue Plan , our State Small Business Credit Initiative provides States , territories , and Tribal governments with resources to establish loan and equity capital programs to support entrepreneurs . In addition , the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has created unprecedented contracting opportunities for small businesses in every community . Already , more than 4 , 000 projects have been announced to upgrade America’s infrastructure , creating significant opportunities for small businesses to grow . The law is delivering affordable high - speed internet access to every community — urban , rural , suburban , and Tribal — so every small business can use digital technologies and gain new customers across the country and around the world . The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law makes the Minority Business Development Agency within the United States Department of Commerce a permanent entity — seeded with a record amount of funding — so minority - owned businesses can receive tailored assistance for their unique challenges and access the capital they need to grow . I firmly believe that equal opportunity is the bedrock of our democracy . That is why my Administration is committed to using Federal procurement dollars to support firms owned by underrepresented people and to help small businesses build generational wealth . Last year , I announced a set of reforms to increase contracting opportunities for underserved businesses by up to 50 percent by 2025 . We are also capitalizing on our historic investments in supply chain resilience and “Made in America” manufacturing so small businesses can innovate , compete , and build the products of tomorrow . To position small businesses for success in the long term , the United States Small Business Administration’s Community Navigator Pilot program is forging stronger partnerships with local organizations to get resources to underserved small businesses . Thanks to these initiatives and the resilience of the American people , America’s entrepreneurial spirit has never been stronger . New business applications grew by more than 30 percent over the course of the pandemic , with almost 5 . 4 million new applications in 2021 alone . More Americans than ever before — including more women and people of color — are following their dreams and starting new enterprises . My Administration will continue to support them , build upon this remarkable resurgence , and strengthen the foundation of our economy with America’s small businesses at the forefront . This National Small Business Week , let us renew our commitment to supporting our Nation’s small businesses . From local “mom and pop” shops to innovative start - ups , small businesses are pillars of our communities and the engine of our economy . By rebuilding our economy from the bottom up and middle out , we can maintain our global competitiveness and build a stronger Nation where everyone can succeed . NOW , THEREFORE , I , JOSEPH R . BIDEN JR . , President of the United States of America , by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States , do hereby proclaim May 1 through May 7 , 2022 , as National Small Business Week . I call upon all Americans to recognize the contributions of small businesses to the American economy , continue supporting them , and honor the occasion with programs and activities that highlight these important businesses . IN WITNESS WHEREOF , I have hereunto set my hand this twenty - ninth day of April , in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty - two , and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty - sixth . JOSEPH R . BIDEN JR .
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