Largest Women's Group WIPP Applauds Unanimous Senate Recognition of "Small Business Saturday"

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The nation's largest women's business group, Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), praised the U.S. Senate today for unanimous passage of a resolution designating Nov. 26, 2011, as "Small Business Saturday."  The bipartisan Senate Resolution 320, led by Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) promotes the local economic impact of small businesses and encourages consumers to shop this Saturday at locally-owned, independent businesses and retail stores.

"The leadership by Senators Landrieu and Snowe that brought full and complete bipartisan support together is to be commended," said WIPP President Barbara Kasoff.  "A majority of privately-held small businesses are owned by women, and when shoppers patronize these local companies, they are helping their own communities in many ways.  Women business owners make major contributions to the local and national economy through the creation of jobs, giving back to their communities and serving as leaders in their local business communities."

The Small Business Saturday resolution cites a number of reasons for encouraging consumers to shop local.   Small businesses employ half of the employees in the private sector; create 60 to 80% of all new jobs; and 99% of U.S. consumers agree that it is important to support the small businesses in their community.

Joining Sens. Landrieu and Snowe as co-sponsors were members from the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee that includes Kelly Ayotte (R- NH), Scott Brown (R-MA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), Michael Enzi (R-WY), Kay Hagan (D-NC), John Kerry (D- MA), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Mark Pryor (D-AR), James Risch (R-ID) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).

Additional co-sponsors of the Small Business Saturday resolution were Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), John Barrasso (R-WY), Mark Begich (D-AK), John Boozman (R-AR), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Thomas Carper (D-DE), Susan Collins (R-ME), Mike Crapo (R-ID), John Hoeven (R-ND), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Mark Steven Kirk (R-IL), Frank Laugenberg (D-NJ), Richard Lugar (R-IN), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Lisa Murkowski (D-AK), Rob Portman (R-OH), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jon Tester (D-MT), John Thune (R-SD), Tom Udall (D-NM), Jim Webb (D-VA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).  

WIPP is a national nonpartisan public policy organization, advocating on behalf of nearly 1 million women-owned businesses representing 58 business organizations. For more information, visit www.wipp.org/.

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Barbara Kasoff
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Brenda Jones
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SOURCE Women Impacting Public Policy