By U.S. Senator Deb Fischer

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Every year, when the Thanksgiving table is cleared and the dishes are stacked, Americans head out shopping. It’s a longstanding national tradition: we rise early on Black Friday and take to the mall, outlets, and local stores to hunt down holiday bargains. We write our lists, compare prices, and make our purchases. 

Black Friday is always a busy day, but one group of Americans is busier than most the day after Thanksgiving: our small business community. They are the entrepreneurs and employees who run every kind of enterprise, from startups to mom-and-pop shops. They are seasoned professionals; they are also young people just starting out in their careers. They open up the store early every morning; they stay late adding receipts and paying bills. 

Through hard work, creativity, and long hours, small business owners and their employees make available vital goods and services for our families. They are a solid foundation of our economy. They help make our communities and our country great.

Throughout history, small businesses have been key to a nation’s strength and security. In the early 1800s, the French dictator Napoleon Bonaparte was said to have once insulted his enemy, Great Britain, by calling the country “a nation of shopkeepers.” As his defeat on the battlefield would later show, Mr. Bonaparte failed to understand just how powerful shopkeepers can be. 

Americans do understand that strength, and they appreciate the men and women who provide it. According to the Senate Small Business Committee, of which I am a member, 87 percent of consumers believe the success of small businesses is critical to America’s overall economic health. This belief is well founded. For the last twenty years, small businesses have generated 63 percent of net new jobs in our country. Today, small businesses pay more than 42 percent of the total payroll of private sector employees in the United States. And, with more than 28 million small businesses operating in our country, we can say we truly are “the land of opportunity.” 

To recognize the efforts of small businesses, I helped introduce in the U.S. Senate a resolution designating Saturday, November 26, 2016, as “Small Business Saturday.” Through this resolution, which passed the Senate this fall, we enhanced awareness of this annual tradition. We also highlighted the value of locally owned businesses and encouraged Americans to shop local. 

Awareness is certainly important, but we can do more. With President-elect Trump and a Republican-led Congress, there is an opportunity to move forward with comprehensive, pro-growth tax reform. That may sound complicated, but the fundamental idea is straightforward: let hardworking Americans keep more of their take-home pay. There are more than a few ideas about how best to achieve this. I will evaluate each carefully and ensure we deliver the tax relief our friends, family, and neighbors in the small business community need and deserve. 

Government needs to recognize the true value of small businesses. More than the services they provide or the tax revenue they generate, they are the realization of someone’s hopes and dreams. Behind each and every enterprise is the yearning for a better life and a brighter future. There’s no dollar sign on that. That’s what the dictator Napoleon didn’t understand. That’s what the American people know by heart.  

Understanding small businesses in this way, we see how important it is that government take care to nurture them, not harm them. As your U.S. senator, I will continue to work hard to ensure we do just that in the new Congress and the more hopeful days to come. 

Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.