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[Page S2730]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
National Small Business Week
Mr. DAINES. Madam President, it is National Small Business Week, and
in Montana, small businesses are a critical part of our life. In fact,
I grew up watching my parents build a small business. They are made up
of hard-working families who lift up their companies and neighborhoods,
and it is what keeps our economy growing and keeps our economy strong.
In fact, when I am back home in Montana and back in my hometown of
Bozeman, you might find me in the morning grabbing a cup of coffee from
Cold Smoke with my sweet wife Cindy, or I might be heading over to
Butte. I might be picking up a new mount from my taxidermist, Marc, who
does a great job there in Butte. Or maybe it is time for dinner and
grabbing a bite to eat at the Mint in Belgrade. Of course, if you are
over in Billings, you have to stop and get a cinnamon roll at Stella's.
If you are heading through Helena, get a great lunch there at Steve's
Cafe. Or if you are up in the northwest part of the State, you might
grab a beer at the Cabinet Mountain Brewery. Or there is nothing like
breakfast at Syke's in Kalispell.
In fact, one of the old-time favorites in Missoula is the Thunderbird
Motel. They have a great owner there, Thelma, who has been a friend for
years. I still remember how excited the men and women who were
stationed in Afghanistan and from our very own 495th from Kalispell
were when we brought over--hand-carried over to Afghanistan--back in
December, some Hi-Country beef jerky from Lincoln, MT, because for
them, that Hi-Country beef jerky tasted like being back home.
These mom and pop shops of Montana tell the story of the ideals that
make our Nation great. In fact, in Montana, 90 percent of our
businesses are small businesses--90 percent. Montana's small business
owners are hard-working Montanans. They have taken a leap of faith to
pursue the dream of owning their own business.
They get up early, they roll their sleeves up, and they don't stop
working until they get the job done. They are folks who put everything
they have into starting a business. They are working all day,
oftentimes into the night, to keep that business growing. Their voices
that make our economy run in Montana are seldom heard on the national
stage.
Those businesses that I mentioned earlier that I like to frequent are
not household names across our country. They are well-known names back
in their respective communities, but they are not on the national
stage, and it is my honor to be their voice, to fight for policies that
make their lives back in Montana easier.
Thankfully, under Republican leadership over the last 3 years, our
country has experienced record economic growth. That is not by
accident.
Since we passed tax reform, over 3\1/2\ million new jobs have been
added to this economy, and we are seeing more money in the pockets of
Montanans. Wages are up. Productivity is up. The unemployment rate sits
at a 50. That is a five-decades-old low of 3.6 percent. Many said that
can never be done. Guess what. Under President Trump's leadership,
working with this Republican Congress, they have gotten it done.
I want to make sure this economic hot streak continues because our
rural communities back in Montana rely on these small businesses. That
is why just last month I introduced the Main Street Tax Certainty Act,
which would give these small businesses permanent tax relief. When
government stands out of the way, when burdensome regulations are
lifted, and when Congress finally understands that it is not government
that creates growth but it is the individuals--the hard-working men and
women in this country--then, there is no telling how far we can go as a
nation. We have to keep this economy booming, and we must keep
Montana's small businesses thriving.
I yield the floor.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from West Virginia.