Small Business Group Wants President Obama to Answer Questions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 14, 2009

Petaluma, Calif. - In a recent speech, President Barack Obama said, "What I'm interested in is taking action right now to help businesses create jobs right now, in the near term." http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/white-house-jobs-summit-real-progress-pr-stunt/story?id=9232219

Since president Obama has voiced his concern about stimulating the economy and creating new jobs, the American Small Business League (ASBL) would like a member of the mainstream media to ask President Obama any of the following questions:

1. In February of 2008, you released the statement, "It is time to end the diversion of federal small business contracts to corporate giants." Why is your administration continuing to give federal small business contracts to Fortune 500 firms?

2. During the campaign you promised to implement the 5 percent set-aside goal for women owned firms. Why hasn't that program been implemented?

3. Since 2003, twenty-five federal investigations have found widespread fraud and abuse in virtually every program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA). What does your administration intend to do to stop the abuses in those programs?

4. Recently, you have talked about allocating TARP funds to help small businesses. Does it make sense to come up with new programs while billions of dollars a month in federal small business contracts are being diverted to corporate giants?

5. H.R. 2568, the Fairness and Transparency in Contracting Act of 2009 is designed to end the diversion of federal small business contracts to corporate giants and redirect billions of dollars in current federal infrastructure spending to the middle class. Will you be backing H.R. 2568?

6. You said you were going to exempt investment in small businesses from capital gains tax. Wouldn't that just be a loophole for venture capitalists to avoid paying taxes?

7. Will you oppose any legislation or policy that would divert federal small business contracts to firms owned or controlled by venture capitalists?

8. Since you have taken office, federal contracting programs for minorities have largely been dismantled. Do you intend to restore those programs?

9. Since U.S. Census Bureau data shows that small businesses create a vast majority of all net new jobs, why has your administration allocated such a small portion of stimulus funds to those firms?

10. The staffing at the SBA is at a 30 year low. Why haven't you restored that agency's staff?

11. In February of 2008, you released the statement, "It is time to end the diversion of federal small business contracts to corporate giants." Recent shows that your administration is still giving small business contracts to Fortune 500 firms. Why have you failed to make good on that campaign promise?

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Contact:
Christopher Gunn
Communications Director
American Small Business League
cgunn@asbl.com
(707) 789-9575