IV 

House Calendar No. 23 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 22 

[Report No. 109–52] 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that American small 

businesses are entitled to a Small Business Bill of Rights. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 4, 2005 

Mr. KELLER (for himself and Mr. CRAMER) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Small Business 

APRIL 21, 2005 

Additional sponsors: Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida, Mr. SMITH of 

Texas, Mr. PETERSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. 

WALSH, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. GILCHREST, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. CASE, 

Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. MACK, Mr. 

MCCAUL of Texas, Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey, Mr. MCHENRY, Mr. 

GOHMERT, and Mr. TURNER

APRIL 21, 2005 

Reported with amendments, referred to the House Calendar, and ordered to 

be printed 

[Strike out the preamble and insert the part printed in italic] 

[Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 

American small businesses are entitled to a Small Business Bill of Rights. 
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•HRES 22 RH 

Whereas more than 90 percent of all American employers are 

small businesses; 

Whereas small businesses generate approximately 70 percent 

of the new jobs created in the United States each year; 

Whereas small businesses are crucial to the American economy and account for a significant majority of new product ideas and innovations; 

Whereas small businesses, together with innovation and entrepreneurship, are central to the American dream of 

self-improvement and individual achievement; 

Whereas 60 percent of the 45,000,000 Americans without 

health insurance are small business employees and their 

families; 

Whereas most small businesses do not provide health insurance to their employees, primarily because of the surging 

cost; 

Whereas the death tax causes one-third of all family-owned 

small businesses to liquidate after the death of the owner; 

Whereas frivolous lawsuits and the rising costs of liability insurance represent serious threats to small business owners; 

Whereas burdensome regulations and paperwork cost small 

businesses more than $5,500 per employee; and 

Whereas Congress can help small businesses grow by establishing a climate to encourage small businesses to create 

jobs and offer more affordable health insurance to employees: Now, therefore, be it 
3 

•HRES 22 RH 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that American small businesses are entitled to 

3 the following Small Business Bill of Rights: 

4 (1) The right to join together to purchase af5 fordable health insurance for small business employ6 ees, who make up a large portion of the millions of 

7 Americans without health care coverage. 

8 (2) The right to tax laws that allow family9 owned small businesses to survive over several gen10 erations and offer them incentives to grow. 

11 (3) The right to be free from frivolous lawsuits 

12 which harm law-abiding small businesses and pre13 vent them from creating new jobs. 

14 (4) The right to be free of unnecessary, restric15 tive regulations and paperwork which waste the time 

16 and energy of small businesses while hurting produc17 tion and preventing job creation. 

Whereas more than 90 percent of all American employers are 

small businesses; 

Whereas small businesses generate approximately 70 percent of 

the new jobs created in the United States each year; 

Whereas small businesses are crucial to the American economy 

and account for a significant majority of new product 

ideas and innovations; 

Whereas small businesses, together with innovation and entrepreneurship, are central to the American dream of self-improvement and individual achievement; 
4 

•HRES 22 RH 

Whereas 60 percent of the 45,000,000 Americans without health 

insurance are small business employees and their families; 

Whereas most small businesses do not provide health insurance 

to their employees, primarily because of the surging cost; 

Whereas the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is exceedingly complex, making it difficult for small businesses to understand 

it and comply with its requirements; 

Whereas the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 discriminates, in 

many instances, against small businesses and self-employed persons by limiting the availability of certain tax 

incentives to larger firms or corporations; 

Whereas the death tax causes one-third of all family-owned 

small businesses to liquidate after the death of the owner; 

Whereas frivolous lawsuits and the rising costs of liability insurance represent serious threats to small business owners; 

Whereas burdensome regulations and paperwork cost small 

businesses more than $5,500 per employee; 

Whereas adequate, affordable, and reliable energy supplies are 

essential to the success of small businesses, especially small 

manufacturers; 

Whereas lack of access to capital and credit stifles new business 

growth and economic opportunity; 

Whereas both unsound contract bundling or consolidation and 

the failure of various Federal agencies to closely monitor 

the small business goals and subcontracting plans of large 

businesses have dried up many procurement opportunities 

for small businesses; and 

Whereas Congress can help small businesses grow by establishing a climate to encourage small businesses to create 
5 

•HRES 22 RH 

jobs and offer more affordable health insurance to employees: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that American small businesses are entitled to 

3 the following Small Business Bill of Rights: 

4 (1) The right to join together to purchase afford5 able health insurance for small business employees, 

6 who make up a large portion of the millions of Amer7 icans without health care coverage. 

8 (2) The right to simplified tax laws that allow 

9 family-owned small businesses to survive over several 

10 generations and offer them incentives to grow. 

11 (3) The right to be free from frivolous lawsuits 

12 which harm law-abiding small businesses and prevent 

13 them from creating new jobs. 

14 (4) The right to be free of unnecessary, restrictive 

15 regulations and paperwork which waste the time and 

16 energy of small businesses while hurting production 

17 and preventing job creation. 

18 (5) The right to relief from high energy costs, 

19 which pose a real threat to the survival of small busi20 nesses, to be accomplished by reducing the Nation’s 

21 reliance on imported sources of energy and encour22 aging environmentally-sound domestic production 

23 and conservation of energy. 
6 

•HRES 22 RH 

1 (6) The right to equal treatment, as compared to 

2 large businesses, when seeking access to start-up and 

3 expansion capital and credit. 

4 (7) The right to open access to the Government 

5 procurement marketplace through the breaking up of 

6 large contracts to give small business owners a fair 

7 opportunity to compete for Federal contracts. 

House Calendar No. 23 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 22 

[Report No. 109–52] 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representato a Small Business Bill of Rights. tives that American small businesses are entitled 

APRIL 21, 2005 

Reported with amendments, referred to the House 

Calendar, and ordered to be printed