The Small Business Watchdog

Each week while Congress is in session the Office of Advocacy posts a highlights schedule of congressional hearings and committee markups that we think will be of interest to stakeholders in the small business community. For further information on the hearings in question please contact the relevant congressional committee.
THIS WEEK
The House and the Senate are [...]

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This week, the Office of Advocacy released the new edition of the annual report, The Small Business Economy.  You can find the entire report on the website, and you can read about in interesting places like Inc.com’s Wire, and reproduced below:
Report: Small Business Scores on Job Creation
Small businesses provide more [...]

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The Office of Advocacy has posted two regulatory alerts regarding a proposal from the Fish and Wildlife Service and a final rule from the Department of Justice.
FWS Proposes To Revise the Designated Critical Habitat for the Northern Spotted Owl
On March 8, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to revise the designated critical habitat [...]

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Each week while Congress is in session the Office of Advocacy will post a highlights schedule of congressional hearings and committee markups that we think will be of interest to stakeholders in the small business community. For further information on the hearings in question please contact the relevant congressional committee.
THIS WEEK
The House and the Senate [...]

[Read more →]

Advocacy economist Victoria Williams recently reported on the financial data for fourth quarter 2011 that was released this month. The new data shows that borrowing remained challenging for small businesses through fourth quarter 2011, even as the pace of economic activity increased and financial conditions overall were supportive of growth. Principal economic indicators such as [...]

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The following guest editorial article by Chief Counsel for Advocacy Winslow Sargeant appeared in Saturday’s Nashville Tennessean (March 10).
As chief counsel for advocacy in the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy, I’m often asked “What is the one bit of advice you have for entrepreneurs and small businesses?” My answer is the same for both: “Know who [...]

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Interested in delving into the data on businesses owned by women, veterans, or minorities? Looking for the latest statistics on small business lending or venture capital? Advocacy has a new user-friendly web page, Small Business Data Resources, that can point you in the right direction.
Since its creation by Public Law 94-305 in 1976, the SBA’s [...]

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On March 1, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the reopening of the public comment period on the agency’s June 1, 2011, proposal for a revised designation of critical habitat for the Riverside Fairy Shrimp, as well as the availability of a draft economic analysis (DEA).
Comments on the proposal are due by April 2.
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Some recent developments have postponed the implementation of two new labor rules that have con­cerned small business. The Office of Advocacy has been working with representatives of the affected small business industries in both cases.
Congressional Action Halts H-2B Visa Wage Increases
On December 23, 2011, President Obama signed into law the 2012 Consolidated Appropriations Act, [...]

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Each week while Congress is in session the Office of Advocacy will post a highlights schedule of congressional hearings and committee markups that we think will be of interest to stakeholders in the small business community. For further information on the hearings in question please contact the relevant congressional committee.
THIS WEEK
The House and Senate are [...]

[Read more →]