Congress Establishes National Entrepreneurship Week

The first annual celebration will kick off in 2007.

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In an effort to raise the nation's awareness about the impact of small businesses, the House of Representatives has established a National Entrepreneurship Week.

The bill, passed Wednesday, encourages academic institutions to continue developing curriculums on entrepreneurship, and calls on the president to issue a proclamation asking federal, state, and local governments, schools, non-profits, and other organizations to observe the ceremonial week, the first of which is tentatively scheduled for March 2007.

"I think the fact that Congress has chosen to recognize the importance of entrepreneurship is a very positive sign," said Hank Kopical, executive director, of the National Federation of Independent Businesses' Young Entrepreneur Foundation, a Washington-based advocacy organization representing small and independent businesses. "The fact is, two out of every three new jobs in this country come from smaller entrepreneurial businesses."

The bill was supported by the National Federation of Independent Business and the Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education, which worked with House members to bring the resolution to the floor. The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation will be a major sponsor of the week.

"We plan on having national events like an annual business plan competition leading up to that week, and there will be other events at the state and local level," said Julie Carney, program manager of the Young Entrepreneur Foundation.