Congresswoman Duckworth Celebrates National Small Business Week by Calling for Legislation to Create Jobs

Press Release

Today, Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (IL-08) called on Congress to enact policies to help small businesses and create jobs. The 113th Congress has yet to pass a jobs bill. Earlier this year, Duckworth introduced the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2013. The bipartisan legislation will give small businesses the opportunity to correct a first time error in filling out federal paperwork without being fined.

Congresswoman Duckworth, a member of the House Small Business Caucus, is also a cosponsor of two pieces of legislation that would help manufacturers and small businesses create jobs right here in America. The America Works Act, would better allocate existing federal resources so that they are better supporting education and training for in-demand manufacturing skills. The Manufacturing Reinvestment Account Act would allow manufacturers to save for investments in their companies in a manufacturing reinvestment account (MRA), similar to an individual retirement account (IRA), in a community bank.

"Small businesses are the engine of our economy," said Duckworth. "Congress should be doing everything it can to create an environment that allows small businesses to invest, grow and create jobs. We can no longer afford to play political games and delay passage of these critical pieces of legislation. It's time that we reach across the aisle and get something done."

Last week, Congresswoman Duckworth's amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act on small businesses and government contractors passed the House of Representatives. The amendment asks the Small Business Administration and federal agencies to include remediation plans in their annual report on small business contracting goals. The amendment would work towards helping the government meet its goal of awarding 23% of procurement contracts to small businesses.

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