Supporting the Goals and Ideals of National Enterpreneurship Week

SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP WEEK

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Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. I thank the gentleman for yielding, Mr. Speaker, and I rise in support of H. Res. 699, a resolution I sponsored with the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne), and many other colleagues. The resolution supports the goals and ideals of National Entrepreneurship Week.

More than 70 percent of American high school students say they would like to open their own business someday. Over 10 percent of American adults are actively planning to become entrepreneurs in their local communities. These figures indicate the strong entrepreneurial inclination of many Americans. Yet while many people have an interest in starting a new business, only a fraction of these actually make the attempt.

Entrepreneurial education brings together the core academic, technical, and problem-solving skills needed for future entrepreneurs. Individuals who receive entrepreneurship training are not only more likely to start a business, but they are also more likely to enjoy success with such a new venture.

H. Res. 699 would support the goals and the ideals of National Entrepreneurship Week and the implementation of entrepreneurship education programs in elementary and secondary schools and in institutions of higher education. National Entrepreneurship Week would consist of a national series of celebrations, business plan competitions, and other community events to nurture entrepreneurship and to engage young people in the opportunities available to them as future business owners.

In short, Mr. Speaker, National Entrepreneurship Week offers the opportunity to recognize the societal contributions of America's leading entrepreneurs and to encourage those with a dream to become entrepreneurs.

I am fortunate to have several organizations in my home State of North Carolina that effectively promote entrepreneurship in varied ways. For example, the North Carolina Rural Center, the North Carolina Community College System, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are working together to develop a system of education for youth and adults that ensures anyone who seeks advice or assistance on starting a business gets the help they need.

The Small Business and Technology Development Centers and the SCORE program, run by retired executives, help new entrepreneurs translate their aspirations into reality. ``Marketplace,'' a forum which I joined colleagues in starting years ago in the Triangle area of North Carolina, introduces entrepreneurs to opportunities in government contracting.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Entrepreneurship Club is dedicated to encouraging entrepreneurship among students by connecting them with local entrepreneurs, professors, and support organizations. The North Carolina Center for 21st Century Skills is the first of its kind in the Nation to help elementary and secondary public school students acquire the knowledge and the skills needed for success in the global economy.

The Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education continues its work to make entrepreneurship education a formal part of the American curriculum in each school district and educational institution, and I want to commend the consortium for their leadership role in developing and promoting the resolution before us today.

I also want to thank Representatives TOM OSBORNE and DANNY DAVIS and their staffs, as well as the bipartisan staff of the Education and the Workforce Committee, for their contributions to this effort, this effort to call attention to the need for encouraging our young people to become entrepreneurs.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

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