United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

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The U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over the Small Business Administration and is also charged with researching and investigating all problems of American small business enterprises.

History

The Senate Committee on Small Business was first established as the Select Committee on Small Business on February 20, 1950, with approval of Senate Resolution 58 during the 81st Congress. That first committee had just nine members. It was the first select committee created by the Senate that still operates today.

The committee's jurisdiction has been changed several times since it was first created, through additional powers or by changing the manner in which committee members are appointed. While first established as a select committee with limited responsibilities, it is now possesses virtually all the characteristics of a standing committee, as outlined under Senate Rule 25.

During the 96th Congress, the committee acted on legislation to reauthorize the Small Business Administration that expanded the agency to include loan programs for employee ownership, Small Business Development Centers, and increased export development assistance for small businesses.

Since its creation, the committee has held hearings on paperwork reduction and elimination (which eventually led to the Paperwork Reduction Act), capital formation, tax and securities law reform for small business, steel plant shutdowns, and the impact of inflation on governmental actions on the housing industry.

The committee was changed to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship beginning in 1981.

Jurisdiction

Initially, the Small Business Committee only had limited oversight over the Small Business Administration. The committee was directed to report to the Senate from time to time with its recommendations regarding small business matters.

With the adoption of S. Res. 272 during the 82nd Congress, the committee was granted subpoena power, and the ability to "sit and act at such times during the sessions, recesses, and adjourned periods of the Senate." These abilities are common to the other standing committees in the Senate. S. Res. 272 also provided for a more structured committee, with specific requirements on a quorum of members needed for the committee to conduct its business, and its own committee staff.

S. Res. 58 stipulated that beginning with the 95th Congress, the Small Business Committee would be granted jurisdiction over all legislation relating to the Small Business Administration. This ability was grated S. Res. 104, agreed to on April 29, 1976, provided for this new jurisdiction, granting not only authority over small business legislation but additional oversight over the agency as well. The committee has also been granted the right of re-referral of legislation from other standing committees, where appropriate.

Today, the jurisdiction of the committee is roughly the same as it was when it was first established, chiefly the Small Business Administration and the Small Investment Act. However, by tradition, the committee reviews all matters that apply to small business that are not by themselves subject to the jurisdiction over another standing committee. The committee continues to study and survey by means of research and investigation all problems of American small business enterprises, with the intent to provide advice to Congress in enacting appropriate legislation. The committee also is responsible for reviewing nominations for positions within the Small Business Administration, including its Administrator, Chief Council for Advocacy, and Inspector General.

Members, 110th Congress

The Committee is chaired by Democrat John Kerry of Massachusetts, and the Ranking Minority Member is Republican Olympia Snowe of Maine.

Majority
Member		State	John Kerry, Chairman	Massachusetts
Carl Levin	Michigan
Tom Harkin	Iowa
Joe Lieberman	Connecticut
Mary Landrieu	Louisiana
Maria Cantwell	Washington
Evan Bayh	Indiana
Mark Pryor	Arkansas
Ben Cardin	Maryland
Jon Tester	Montana

Minority
Member		State	Olympia Snowe, Ranking Member	Maine
Kit Bond	Missouri
Norm Coleman	Minnesota
David Vitter	Louisiana
Elizabeth Dole	North Carolina
John Thune	South Dakota
Bob Corker	Tennessee
Mike Enzi	Wyoming
Johnny Isakson	Georgia

Chairmen

Chairmen of the Senate Select Committee on Small Business

	Name	Party	State	Years	John J. Sparkman	Democratic	Alabama	1950–1953
Edward John Thye	Republican	Minnesota	1953–1955
John J. Sparkman	Democratic	Alabama	1955–1967
George A. Smathers	Democratic	Florida	1967–1969
Alan Bible	Democratic	Nevada	1969–1974
Gaylord Nelson	Democratic	Wisconsin	1974–1981

Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship

	Name	Party	State	Years	Lowell P. Weicker, Jr.	Republican	Connecticut	1981–1987
Dale Bumpers	Democratic	Arkansas	1987–1995
Christopher S. "Kit" Bond	Republican	Missouri	1995–2001
John F. Kerry	Democratic	Massachusetts	2001
Christopher S. "Kit" Bond	Republican	Missouri	2001
John F. Kerry	Democratic	Massachusetts	2001–2003
Olympia J. Snowe	Republican	Maine	2003–2007
John F. Kerry	Democratic	Massachusetts	2007–present

External links

Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, official website

Sources

Riddick, Floyd M., and Alan S. Frumin. “Committee on Small Business” in Riddick's Senate Procedure, 378–81. United States Senate, 101st Congress, 2nd Session, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1992.

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