Olympia Snowe: “I rise today to offer the Supporting Our Patriotic Businesses Act. This bill addresses some key concerns I have…”

“I rise today to offer the Supporting Our Patriotic Businesses Act. This bill addresses some key concerns I have regarding the impact that military call-ups have on our Nation's small businesses. Today, I am offering my legislation in conjunction with the release of a Congressional Budget Office Report entitled ``The Impact of Reserve Call-ups on Civilian Employers.'' I commissioned the Report a year and a half ago, because I believed then, as I do now, that our country is not doing enough for the patriotic small businesses that are owned by or employ our Guard and Reserve members; and which are negatively effected when these workers are called up in defense of our Nation. Although I am still analyzing the Report, three key findings immediately caught my attention. For instance, the Report concludes that: 1. Thirty-five percent of Guard and Reserve members work for small businesses or are self-employed, twenty-six percent work for large businesses, thirty-six percent work for the government, Federal, State, or local, and the remainder work for non-profit organizations. Therefore, the majority of non-government employed Guard and Reserve members are either self-employed, or work for small businesses. 2. Over the past decade, the military has dramatically increased its reliance on Guard and Reserve forces. This trend has accelerated since the terrorism attacks of September 11, 2001.…”