JOHN LINDER: “more than 95 percent of the world's population lives outside of the United States. For most American businesses this…”

“more than 95 percent of the world's population lives outside of the United States. For most American businesses this means that, in order to remain competitive, they must be allowed to market their goods and services across borders. This is particularly true for small business. There are more than 25 million small businesses in America, and they employ more than half the country's private workforce. Small businesses create three out of four new jobs and account for half of the America's annual economic production. Undoubtedly, small businesses are vital to the United States, and trade in turn is vital to them. Mr. Speaker, nearly 97 percent of U.S. merchandise exporters are small- and medium-sized businesses. Companies with less than 20 employees account for more than two-thirds of all U.S. exporting firms. Further, the number of American small businesses that export grew by more than 200 percent between 1987 and 1997. The United States is the single most competitive nation in the world. Tomorrow, Congress will have an opportunity to enable America's small businesses to prove their global competitiveness. We must pass Trade Promotion Authority and allow our small businesses to compete.”